news-record.com

GREENSBORO - After a lengthy debate, the City Council tabled a recommended charter change that would put the council in charge of the police chief.

City Councilwoman Trudy Wade requested the change be added to the council's 2009 legislative agenda, which was debated at Wednesday night's City Council meeting.

The council voted 5-4 to table the debate about the police chief. Council members Robbie Perkins, Goldie Wells and T. Dianne Bellamy-Small and Mayor Yvonne Johnson voted no.

Council also tabled a discussion about creating a board to oversee police department discipline cases and expanding the powers of the committee that hears citizens complaints.

Wade said the change would bring more trust and accountability to the police department.

Under the current management system, the city manager appoints and oversees the police chief.

"The police chief will be accountable to the people much more than he is now," Wade said. "What we are doing now is not working."

Councilman Mike Barber said the lawsuits against the city and recent discipline issues involving police employees show that the police department could use additional oversight.

Other council members disagreed.

"Some of those were created by internal problems that we have tried to deal with," Bellamy-Small said. "You can't blame that on the current chief or the operation of the police department. We need to not muddy the waters here and act like it is caused by the management of the police department."

Other council members said the council did not have the time or skills to oversee the police chief.

Contact Amanda Lehmert at 373-7075 or amanda.lehmert@news-record.com