news-record.com

Of all the misunderstandings related to the investigation of the Greensboro Police Department and its former chief, David Wray, one has taken on a life of its own.

That misunderstanding is that Wray was forced to resign because City Manager Mitchell Johnson locked him out of his office. City Council has told the real story many times, but an inaccurate version still lingers with some in the community. I will attempt in a limited number of words to explain what actually happened.

In the fall of 2006, Johnson (who recommended Wray's selection as chief to the former city manager) hired an independent agency (RMA) to look into complaints made against Wray's administration. Investigators for RMA, an agency with excellent law enforcement credentials, informed Johnson in December that they had found serious problems within the department. They recommended immediate action. Johnson declined to act without personally interviewing those involved and therefore reaching his own independent decision.

The report did raise serious concerns, which led Johnson to schedule a meeting with Wray for late Friday, Jan. 5. At that meeting, Johnson told Wray he would be placed on "administrative leave with pay" at 8:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 8. The manager explained in detail the process he would use to determine the legitimacy of RMA's report. What he found would determine whether disciplinary action would be necessary.

Standard practice for the city of Greensboro, my employer and most professional workplaces is to deny employees on suspension independent access to offices and company documents. Further, standard police procedure is also to take his badge and gun. Johnson chose to go the extra mile to show respect for Wray and his position by informing him of this action two days in advance, rather than surprise him on Monday morning, allowing Wray time to prepare mentally and emotionally for the status change. Wray did have access to his office, while accompanied by another city employee, and also kept his gun and badge until Monday.

In addition, Johnson informed Wray at that meeting that he would be available over the weekend to hear any information, explanation or justification from Wray that might change his decision. Had Johnson made the administrative leave effective Friday (as I would have), the locking of the office would have been a non-issue.

No good deed goes unpunished! As fate would have it, the manager's act of respect was misinterpreted when someone in the building notified the media that the locks were being changed, leading reporters to converge. Johnson was forced to give a quickly drafted statement to the media within a short time of his meeting with Wray.

The conversation between Wray and Johnson that Friday was recorded. City Council has read the transcript, which makes it extremely clear to me that the meeting was carried out courteously and professionally. In my opinion, Wray seemed to appreciate the manager's respectful treatment and to accept his actions as standard practice for city employees.

The conversation ended with an agreement to meet at 8:30 on Monday morning, if not over the weekend, to allow Wray to provide information that might change the manager's intended actions. As we now know, on that Monday morning, Wray resigned rather than allowing the paid administrative process to proceed.

I regret that David Wray chose that course of action rather than accepting for himself a process he endorsed and practiced with other men and women of the Greensboro Police Department. In conclusion, I hope that this explanation will allow the citizens of Greensboro to understand the real circumstances of David Wray's last day on the job and the professionalism of City Manager Mitchell Johnson.

Keith Holliday is mayor of Greensboro.