Cops in Black and White, Part LII

Jerry Bledsoe continues his series in the Rhino Times with a discussion of Risk Management Associates' (RMA) work on behalf of the city of Greensboro.  The following is a synopsis, and will omit some material covered during previous installments. 

A draft of the city legal report, prepared by ToNola Brown-Bland and Blair Carr, was completed by the end of October, 2005.   The date on RMA's initial contract with the city was November 10, 2008.  RMA billed the city, however, for work ostensibly performed during October.  It has been alleged that RMA had some involvement with the city legal report, but it is unknown what role precisely was played.    Its initial  review of the report, however, was completed on November 3, and a "thumbs up" was given.  The city legal report made reference to some of RMA's erroneous conclusions.

Bledsoe said that later evidence showed that the interviews conducted by Carr and Brown-Bland were not thorough and unbiased.

A couple of weeks were then spent by RMA performing background investigations and inquiries.  Then the confrontational interrogations and polygraphs of Wray and his men would begin.  The contract with the city only described review and analysis of interviews and documents, but RMA went much further.  And it was clear RMA was not able to comprehend such a complex matter in such a short time frame.

Bills were submitted to the city on a nearly monthly basis.  The total amount paid to RMA by the city was in excess of $147,000.  This included the pointless, futile work performed to investigate the leak of a city council member's copy of the RMA report, to the tune of more than $33,000.  At one point it was demonstrated that RMA had overbilled the city.

Much has previously been made of the fact that outside law enforcement officers had concerns regarding Wray's methods.  But it turns out that Mitchell Johnson contacted them-- not the other way around.

Bledsoe explains that the city legal report began with the investigations of James Hinson and Julius Fulmore, but also covered David Wray's management practices.   He outlined in detail the major sections of the report. 

Said Bledsoe: "With this report the city builds a civil legal case against itself for discrimination against black officers, particularly in Part V.  The findings appear to have been designed for that purpose and to ensure cash settlements for black officers... City Council sources have said that the number of black officers filing complaints is now more than 60.  Lawyers for some of the officers have asked for settlements of $300,000 for each officer, the sources say, but some officers are demanding more.  Although no racial discrimination has been proven, city councilmembers already have held closed discussions on settlements.

"If trials were held based on the city legal report, those findings might be easily undermined, because the report is rife with inaccuracies, inapt comparisons, false conclusions, misstatements and critical omissions."

Comments

[Bubba]

"With this report the city builds a civil legal case against itself for discrimination against black officers, particularly in Part V. The findings appear to have been designed for that purpose and to ensure cash settlements for black officers... City Council sources have said that the number of black officers filing complaints is now more than 60. Lawyers for some of the officers have asked for settlements of $300,000 for each officer, the sources say, but some officers are demanding more. Although no racial discrimination has been proven, city council members already have held closed discussions on settlements."

And yet MitchManager and the problem cases on City Council (both old and new) STILL have their jobs.

Unbelievable for anyplace else but not for Greensboro, where the Racial Panderers/Build It Anywhere power cabals enable bad government, while the crack investigative staff of the daily paper concocts a non existent hate crime/harassment scenario.

Meanwhile, as usual, we pay the bill......

[Joe Guarino]

Bubba, that passage summarizes well why this whole thing has been called a fiasco, here and elsewhere. The mishandling of this situation-- now almost three years old-- continues. And the City Council and city administration bear responsibility.

And meanwhile, the stigmatized officers remain under a cloud.

[Fred Gregory]

Memo from Taxpayers to Mitch Johnson and City Council:

Not one cent for extortion. Tell'em ..See you in court !

[Betty Almond]

I certainly agree that the discrimination charges should go to court and the city should not pay one thin dime to any of the officers filing these suits unless it is determined by a court that the charges are legimate.

A little off subject but I am wondering if Sam has had any reply to his filings in regard to public records request. I thought the deadline was April 28.

[Joe Guarino]

Of course, Fred and Betty, the contrary position can be taken-- that since the city had already admitted multiple instances of serious job discrimination leading to the pushing out and marginalization of Wray and his men, perhaps the city should then start writing the black officers some very big checks. Writing big checks is the natural conclusion of what the city was doing, and what Bledsoe describes in this installment. That is the unfortunate truth.

And Betty, I am unaware of any reply to the filing; but perhaps Sam will update us if he stops by.

[Stormy]

If Mitch and others went to such an elaborate extent to build such a case for the black officers, it should come as no surprise that they will not go to court, but rather settle for millions out of court. They handed the case to the officers on a platter. It will be interesting to see if Chief Bellamy jumps on the bandwagon. So, was this the price of Mitch getting support from certain areas to become and remain as city manager?

It also almost seems that Mitch perpetrated this mess with a purpose to actually arrive at such a conclusion of payment of millions. And, I think the question of why RMA was involved in this is answered...$150,000. At least they didn't sell their integrity cheaply.

The losers in this are David Wray and his command staff, and the taxpayers of Greensboro. Does anyone think that the citizens will wake up and protest about the insane waste of its tax money? Of course, after approving a humongous school bond offering this week.....probably not!

[Joe Guarino]

Of course, you are right, Stormy. As I mentioned earlier this week, there is a lot of ignorance out there among Greensboro/Guilford county voters.

Will Chief Bellamy "jump on the bandwagon?" Arguably, he has already done so.

And let's remember-- there were officers below the level of the command structure whose careers have been disrupted because of all this nonsense. And their families, of course, have been impacted as well.

[Roger Greene]

I had an interesting experience today. I was at Wachovia Brassfield preparing items for deposit and while I'm totally oblivious the place is robbed. One police car on the scene immediately. At least 15 minutes elapsed before any others arrived all coming from the west on New Garden Rd. Just an illustration to me of how widely dispersed our police patrol officers are in my opinion.

[Joe Guarino]

Well, I am glad, Roger, that at least one was able to get there quickly. That is a marked improvement over some other stories we have heard.

[Brenda Bowers]

Every time I am reminded of how our City Council is going about paying off Black officers with our tax dollars when the SBI and the FBI found no cases of discrimination I get sick.

I have also been wondering if any of the officers who are so tough they throw old men to the ground and shoot unarmed people and beat upon cuffed prisoners are on the list of those suing the city.

I am also pretty sure the pay off to RMA can be seen as a "gift" and the City Council held responsible for this gift as probably very little of the charges are documented.

I need to look into how one goes about suing the city for wasting my tax dollars. Anyone out there interested in a class action suit against the city? We then demand the right to go to trial and then bring all these people/companies in who have sued and been paid by the city when their suit can be contested and those who have overcharged the city and been paid anyhow can be put on the stand. Wouldn't that be one hell of a circus of a trial!?? I'll bet it would get national coverage and even knock the soaps out of top place. BB

[Joe Guarino]

That is a very interesting concept, Brenda. And seriously, there should be some type of recourse for citizens to seek redress in circumstances such as these.