A local business owner says he was the victim of racial profiling by members of the Chapel Hill police department, and he’s asked the NAACP for help.

Lieutenant Kevin Gunter, public information officer for the Chapel Hill Police Department, says an investigation is underway.

The investigation stems from an incident that took place on the evening of June 1st. A local business owner says he was mistakenly identified by police as he walked down Rosemary Street, and that instead of verifying his identity, police officers unfairly arrested, handcuffed and harassed him for more than half an hour.

Alan McSurely, legal redress chair for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro branch of the NAACP, says he would like to give the town of Chapel Hill every chance to respond to the complaints.

McSurley says his organization has requested a response from the town by the end of this week. Gunter says the department will release a statement once the investigation is concluded, but says the findings will likely remain confidential.