news-record.com

GREENSBORO - The Greensboro Police Officers Association has withdrawn all public support for Chief David Wray as city officials look into allegations that a covert unit targeted black officers for unfair internal investigations.

And for the first time, the association's lawyer is calling for a change in leadership in the highest ranks of the Greensboro Police Department - specifically, that Wray "needs to go."

Association leaders pulled their June vote of confidence at a Thursday executive board meeting. Shortly after 10 p.m. Friday, the group posted on its Web site the results of an unscientific survey measuring department morale.

Almost no one reported being happy with the chief. More than a quarter of the force responded.

"We just think it's important that we make our position clear, that we have no faith in him as a leader," association attorney William Hill said Friday, adding that department morale is "at its lowest level that I've ever seen or heard of."

Wray declined to comment late Friday night. Greensboro Mayor Keith Holliday, who in the past has defended the chief, could not be reached for comment.

But Greensboro City Manager Mitchell Johnson, when contacted at home, insisted any personnel decisions he makes in police leadership would be taken without the solicitation of outside groups.

Johnson has begun his own review of recent events.

"The bottom line is I appreciate the union's position, and they have their constituency, but in this state we're not in a negotiating position," Johnson said. "Any personnel actions that go on will be taken independent of advice or communications from a union.

"At this time I don't have any reason to take any actions in any way. Chief Wray is the chief of police and will continue to be that."

Criticism of Wray has been nothing new for the police association in recent months. Hill went so far in August as to mail Johnson a letter calling the chief dishonest.

If anything, Thursday's withdrawal of support - and Hill's call for a change in leadership - merely formalize existing sentiments.

The officers association married two key issues in its criticisms of Wray: what they say is his failure to meet with officers on a regular basis as promised, and recent actions of the agency's Special Intelligence Section, which some rank and file dubbed "the secret police."

A high-profile black lieutenant found he was being investigated by Special Intelligence in June for what Wray said was conducting personal business on city time.

The lieutenant's lawyer soon accused the section of trying to entrap black officers. Hill made similar comments to reporters until association members met with the chief June 16.

After the meeting, the association put out a statement pledging its support to Wray in his investigation of the profiling claims. They now say he never made a full investigation.

Hill in August publicized an alleged agreement between the chief and the association: Not only would the chief investigate the claims, he would meet with the union on a regular basis and would reconsider officer work schedules.

Wray has always said there was no such deal.

Hill acknowledged that after an August meeting with Wray no effort was made to schedule another discussion. He cited the chief's disinterest in hearing concerns at the first two gatherings - one in July, and one the next month.

"When we brought to his attention that the level of morale in the agency was, in our option, at an all-time low, his response was that he had never been here when there was good morale," Hill said.

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