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A police lieutenant at the center of highly charged racial allegations against what ranks have dubbed "the secret police" was suspended Friday, just before Chief David Wray announced that he has cleared the covert unit of alleged misconduct.

Never mentioning Lt. James Hinson by name in a hastily-arranged news conference, the chief invoked a "complicated ongoing investigation" into illegal drugs and crimes he said his department helped conduct with other agencies over "the past several years."

That case, which Wray called "far-reaching" in scope and geography, required the agency to do internal probes.

Acting on information developed in those probes would have compromised the larger cases, Wray said. But the chief said he has now learned he could act on the information.

"I have received assurances that acting on some of this information at the present time will cause no harm to the investigative process of these cases," Wray said in a prepared statement, after which he refused to take questions.

Hinson, 37, who was suspended with pay, had been under surveillance by the department's Special Intelligence Section the night of June 3 when he discovered a tracking device on his cruiser.

Supervisors that night told him they were investigating complaints that Hinson was conducting personal business while on the clock.

Joe Williams, Hinson's lawyer, claimed his client was one of several black officers recently targeted by Special Intelligence, known to rank-and-file as "the secret police."

Neither Williams nor Hinson could be reached for comment Friday afternoon.

Wray, flanked Friday afternoon by his command staff and members of the controversial squad, said concern voiced about the unit was "completely groundless and had no merit."

He said Special Intelligence provides valuable help to the community. The section conducts surveillance of officers accused of criminal activities. It also monitors hate groups and organized gangs.

"The Special Intelligence Section, which has been the target of these 'secret police' allegations, is a clearly defined component of the agency and provides legitimate and necessary services to the community," Wray said in his statement.

However, when discovery of the tracking device suddenly shed light on the unit last week, an attorney for the Greensboro Police Officers Association said officers were concerned that Special Intelligence falls outside a normal chain of command.

"We're deeply troubled by the use of the unit in this way," attorney William Hill said. "Intelligence gathering used to be the job of Internal Affairs."

Wray last fall moved the division out from under the captain who oversees Internal Affairs. Special Intelligence, with no lieutenant and no captain, now reports directly to Deputy Chief Randall Brady - Wray's right-hand man.

According to his statement Friday, Wray conducted the in-house probe of Special Intelligence this week.

He did not specify how he and his command staff reached their findings.

Personnel and investigative records are by law sealed from the public. Therefore, Wray said earlier this week, citizens would need to take his findings at face value.

The police union on Friday afternoon distanced itself from Hinson following Wray's statement. Hill said Hinson is not a member of the union and that the union does not support his allegations.

A tangential accusation was also addressed by the chief.

Hinson's wife filed an inquiry with Internal Affairs early this week with allegations similar to those of her husband. Beverly Hinson wanted police to explain why she saw a detective parked in a van outside her home in early May.

Wray said at the news conference that the man resigned from Greensboro police about 18 years ago and was working as a private investigator on an unrelated matter.

"There is no question the past weeks have been difficult for the Greensboro Police Department," Wray said. "However, such are the challenges that law enforcement officers must accept in order to accomplish the greater goal of serving the community."

Contact Eric J.S. Townsend at 373-7008 or etownsend@news-record.com

Contact Lorraine Ahearn at 373-7334 or lahearn@news-record.com