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GREENSBORO - An investigation into the Greensboro Police Department began after officers raised concerns that included alleged forging of officers' names by department leaders and heightened scrutiny for minority officers.

City Manager Mitchell Johnson included this in a statement he issued late Tuesday night after a City Council meeting.

Johnson's statement gave only limited information on a second report detailing an investigation into the department. He was unavailable for interviews after its release.

According to Johnson's statement, officers' concerns fell into four broad categories:

• "Top management" - no names mentioned - altered documents to support their desired outcomes. This sometimes involved forging officers' names.

• Improper pressure and intimidation was put on officers of all races and both sexes who expressed disagreement with upper management's views.

• Minority officers were subject to more intense scrutiny of their actions and missteps, and their authority was undermined.

• Internal Affairs and Special Intelligence failed to follow long-standing procedures on reporting, investigative boundaries and documentation.

Allegations of racism have roiled the city's police department since last summer, when a high-profile black lieutenant discovered special intelligence officers trailing him during his shift.

No charges were ever filed against Lt. James Hinson.

The officer was suspended with pay for seven months and reinstated two days after police Chief David Wray resigned earlier this month .

"I want to reiterate that this issue is not only about race," Johnson said in his statement. "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."

Mayor Keith Holliday, in a brief interview before the statement was released, said the council would put out its own statement today .

"We're very much supportive of what Mitchell Johnson is doing," Holliday said.

Eddy Summers, president of the Greensboro Police Officers Association, said his organization would "like to see a little more come out to clear up some of the rumors.

"I'd also like to see more come out so citizens know what's going on," Summers added.

During an outside review of Hinson's allegations by a Raleigh consulting firm, other issues surfaced that led to two separate reports.

The first dealt with Hinson and Wray's dealings with the city manager, and the second regarded personnel issues and how internal affairs investigations have been handled.

Council members met in closed session Tuesday night after conducting their regular meeting. They did so in part to discuss a personnel issue.

Members had been expected to talk about the possible release of more information from the two reports, as happened Jan. 10, when Johnson issued a five-page statement on the first report.

The council didn't reconvene in open session to vote on handing out more information from the reports.

The officers association contends that top commanders inappropriately changed the findings of internal affairs investigations into some black and white officers accused of misconduct.

Staff writer Eric J.S. Townsend contributed to this report.

Contact Eric Swensen at 373-7351 or eswensen@news-record.com