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GREENSBORO - If Lt. James Hinson rejoins the Greensboro Police Department, it will be in a new assignment in part of the city away from the offices of a covert unit some officers dub "the secret police."

Hinson, a high-profile African American officer who was suspended five months ago today by Chief David Wray , has been reassigned to supervise officers in eastern Greensboro.

He remained suspended with pay as of Wednesday afternoon and has earned nearly $27,000 since June as top officials investigate allegations they have never publicly explained.

The transfer would take effect Dec. 1. Hinson was among 20 officers whose December transfers or promotions were announced late last week in a memorandum from Wray.

No charges have been filed against the lieutenant. Officials declined to comment on the investigation or when it may be completed.

"The short answer is that the transfer has nothing to do with the investigation that is currently active," said Assistant Chief Craig Hartley, who returned a message left Wednesday on Wray's voice mail.

"The one has no bearing on the other right now," he said Wednesday. "Our practice in this organization is to periodically move people - and it helps broaden their experiences."

Hinson has directed all media questions to his lawyer, Joe Williams, who did not return phone calls this week seeking comment.

Hinson's transfer to the eastern patrol district removes him from the same South Eugene Street substation that houses the agency's Special Intelligence Section, which is in the middle of allegations of internal racial profiling. Rank-and-file officers have dubbed the unit the "secret police" because of its otherwise discreet roles.

The 14-year department veteran was suspended in June after a turbulent two weeks for both the lieutenant and Wray's administration.

At the time, he supervised officers working in the city's southern areas.

On the night of June 3, Hinson discovered a tracking device had been placed on his city cruiser by the Special Intelligence Section, which typically provides dignitary protection and investigates gang activity.

News of the tracking device broke a week later.

Wray promised to investigate the Special Intelligence unit but left much of the criticism unanswered.

He first said Hinson was under investigation on allegations he conducted personal business on the clock.

But on June 17, during a news conference just hours after suspending Hinson, the chief cleared Special Intelligence of any wrongdoing while citing an ongoing investigation "wide-ranging in nature" as his reason for not addressing the allegations earlier.

Wray never mentioned Hinson by name in that news conference.

He told the News & Record to "connect the dots."

An independent expert hired to examine whether Special Intelligence's organizational structure met national standards suggested changes in the way officers are internally investigated when accused of criminal misconduct.

In a final report, the expert recommended that the department use policies already in place in its written directives - specifically, that Internal Affairs ought to be responsible for investigating officers.

And in August, the city manager's office launched its own review of allegations into Special Intelligence.

City officials have interviewed several officers regarding their own experiences with the section.

City Manager Mitchell Johnson has taken no action to date. City Council members have said Johnson will brief the council on his findings in the coming months.

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