Statement by City Manager Mitchell Johnson for Release to the Public: Concerning Status of Second, Internal Police Investigation

Interim Chief Tim Bellamy issued a press release Monday, January 23, on the current status of reviews in the Police Department.  Council has now approved the release of the following information about Chief Bellamy’s current review.

To recap briefly:  In late summer, Police personnel—patrol officers through senior commanders, African-American and white, male and female—raised concerns to me about possible improper activities in the Greensboro Police Department.  Simultaneously, I received visits from credible and respected members of outside law enforcement agencies with similar concerns.  I formed a team of people outside the Police Department, including an independent consulting firm specializing in police management, to review those concerns.  The first report addressed a narrow question raised early in the review—whether the City Manager’s office was given full and accurate information concerning the suspension and investigation of Lt. James Hinson and the existence of a book of photos (referred to generally as the black book).  The issuance of this report, which suggested that the Chief had not been forthcoming with information on these subjects, was followed by Chief David Wray’s resignation from the force.

The report, which Chief Bellamy referred to in his press release yesterday, was the report on the concerns that originally prompted the investigation.  These concerns, brought to us at some personal risk by people of credibility and courage, fell into the following general categories:

  • That documents were altered by top management to support their desired outcomes (sometimes also involving the forging of officers’ names);
  • That improper pressure and intimidation were brought to bear on officers—both minority and non-minority, men and women—who expressed disagreement with the views of upper management;
  • That minority officers were subject to more intense scrutiny of their actions and missteps than were non-minorities and that the authority of minority officers was undermined; and
  • That Internal Affairs and Special Intelligence failed to follow long-standing procedures of reporting, investigative boundaries, and documentation.

I know the public has many questions and even this additional information fails to answer them all.  I also know that it is frustrating to the public to receive information on such a vital issue in bits and pieces.  However, we need to observe complex and sometimes overlapping laws concerning personnel privacy and various agencies’ investigations.  This demands that every statement be drafted with care and accuracy.  I hope you will bear with us until we are in a position to share more fully our findings in this matter.

Throughout this process, I have kept City Council fully informed of the issues and concerns involved, and your elected representatives, diverse in every sense, have reviewed and supported my actions to date.

I want to reiterate that this issue is not only about race.  And it is certainly not about rotating shifts or political ties.  The primary issue here is one of integrity.  The management and residents of this community need to know that all employees, including me, are accountable to the citizens and to City Council. Failure to keep management fully informed or to respect the dignity and rights of all of our employees and citizens, regardless of race or gender, cannot be tolerated.

Questions or comments about this newsletter should be addressed to: Nancy Lindemeyer, Communications Manager, 373-2105 or email.
Did You Know

Explanation of Investigations, In Order of Completion

First Investigation (RMA):  Conducted by outside law enforcement consultants (RMA of Raleigh), which addressed the issue of the Chief’s forthrightness in keeping management informed of the full truth concerning Lt. James Hinson’s suspension and the existence of a rumored “black book.”  Completed.

Second Investigation (RMA/City):  Conducted and written by RMA and City staff external to the Police Department, which addressed the concerns raised by Police employees and outside law enforcement agencies concerning alleged improprieties in the administration of the department.  Completed.

Third Investigation (GPD):  Currently being conducted by Interim Chief Bellamy and his staff, based on the findings of the second investigation, to determine what disciplinary or administrative actions need to be taken or corrected to remedy problems found.  In process.

Fourth Investigation (FBI):  Announced by the FBI’s Charlotte office and described as a narrowly focused “look-see” to determine whether the civil rights of any officers were violated in conjunction with the improper actions found in the second investigation.  Not yet begun.