Hinson, the Chief and "Racial Profiling"

There was an interesting article in the paper yesterday about the new GPD racial profiling initiative led by Captain James Hinson.

I found one particular comment fascinating:

Capt. James Hinson , the committee chairman and commander of the Eastern Patrol Division, denies the police department has problems with profiling.

“I think with the committee being formed, people are thinking, 'Hey, is there a problem?’” he said. “No, there’s not a problem. The reason why the committee was formed was because, No. 1, the chief wanted it formed, and No. 2, to be proactive.”

This is fascinating. Initially, they struck a bold pose suggesting that the department was not going to tolerate any profiling. Now, they concede that they are trying to fix a problem that doesn't even exist.

Of course, to suggest that profiling exists is to slander individual police officers who are felt to engage in that practice.

Ben Holder is all over this issue. He takes the News and Record to task for failing to report the history regarding Hinson.

I have some concerns that Chief Miller is bowing before our fair city's institutionalized identity politics. He appointed Hinson to the position of captain. It had been maintained that we were not going to consider the past, and instead were going to start afresh, with a clean slate.

But here is the problem. As Ben points out, Mitchell Johnson and Linda Miles purged James Hinson's personnel record back during 2006. That would mean Chief Miller has no access to his personnel records before then.

What did those records reveal about Hinson's record? Ben reports:

1. Hinson had associated with a known criminal, Elton Turnbull? Sustained.

2. Hinson associated with Toshia Withers, a known criminal; that he assaulted her at his bachelor's party; and that he had sex with her in a police vehicle? Sustained, not sustained, and not sustained.

3. Hinson had worked off duty while on duty? Sustained.

4. Hinson lied to his supervisor about making up a day he had taken off? Sustained.

5. Hinson was also alleged to have conducted private business at UNCG while on police time? Sustained.

6. Hinson failed to report a wreck involving his police car? Sustained. Another allegation regarding Hinson and car wrecks involved a woman named Gayle Brooks. That was not even investigated. That accident was on December 5, 2002 just in case Miller wants to show me where it was not sustained and unfounded.

7. Hinson recommended a certain private security firm to a private business while he was on duty? Sustained.

This is the man that Chief Miller promoted to captain, and placed in charge of the profiling initiative. It is the same man who had made false accusations of racial profiling against David Wray and his men when he was being monitored because of the above circumstances Ben details.

Now, all of a sudden, Hinson states the department does not engage in profiling; and yet we were supposed to believe in the imperativeness of this anti-profiling initiative.

Truth be told, this is an effort to diminish use of the legitimate tools that police officers on the street have available to them to contain crime. It diminishes proactive policing. When I consider our poor crime statistics last year, and the manner in which he has handled these matters, I am becoming very concerned about Chief Miller. Placing Hinson on a track of career advancement within the department, and giving him major responsibilities over areas such as profiling, is sheer lunacy. Yes, he has had advocates within the Simkins PAC and the Pulpit Forum. But that is no justification.

Comments

[bubba]

Refresh my memory......

Was Hinson not a party to the suit against the City of Greensboro?

Is he still part of the suit?

Does he have individual legal action pending against the city?

[Billy Jones]

Ever had a boss that put your job on the line when you attempted to to the right thing? I have and I suspect Chief Miller has that same problem today. And should be buck he'll be treated just like David Wray.

[Dr. Mary Johnson]

"Ever had a boss that put your job on the line when you attempted to do the right thing?"

LOLLOLLOL!!!!!!!

Thanks for the Coca-Cola sinus wash Billy.

Why yes, Mr. Jones. I have. And the &^%$#@ lying SOB just got a big promotion (over 140 other applicants who are probably not guilty of multiple felonies) - while the high-minded "journalists" (the term can only be used loosely) of Asheboro and Greensboro look the other way (and/or drool).

What is going on in the cities of Asheboro and Greensboro really is sickening/pathetic.

Liars rule. Passage of time purges any inconvenient truth.

I've come to understand (only recently) that the citizens of those cities continue to put up with this kind of garbage simply is a measure of what a majority of those citizens deserve.

[Techster64]

Dr. Mary,

Whenever you have progressive politicians in place, such as the ones here and Barack Obama, the media will shield these people from any criticism or light on their corruption. That is the way.

[Techster64]

Joe,

We have heard little out of GPD over the past couple years, but it is clear that all of the old crap is still there. It does look as though they think it is safe to come out now. And, yes, Chief Miller is earning what it takes to survive here. Those same powers that destroyed David Wray are still in business. Is it not a marvel that you have to be a slimeball with no honor to survive in this community government?

[Joe Guarino]

Mary, you are absolutely right.

Billy, yes, we should not discount the possibility that Miller might have been directed by the city manager's office to do these foolish things. Could there have also been input from the city attorney on these matters?

It should be noted, however, that Miller was paying obeisance to the local pieties regarding diversity from the moment he was introduced to the general public. Does he really believe he is doing the right thing; or is he trying to protect his job?

Who was on the search team that selected Miller? Nancy Hoffmann, previously of the "human relations commission", and currently on the city council.

Bubba, I believe Hinson has his own lawsuit against the city, and it is still active according to Ben Holder. Hinson is not one of the 38 officers who filed jointly as far as I know. Yes, in Greensboro, one of the rewards for suing the city is to get promoted and be given more responsibility.

Perhaps we should know more details about any contributions to this situation from all the folks who have served as city manager and city attorney over the last year.

[Joe Guarino]

Techster, good insights. I agree. I was really hopeful that Miller was going to be a very good police chief. An effort was made to make it appear that discipline within the department was being restored, and that a more aggressive approach to crime control was being undertaken. But I increasingly am concerned we are going to see more of the same old nonsense.

[bubba]

If Hinson has personal legal proceedings agains the city because of GPD "discrimination", or whatever the accusation is, how does he get to be a prevailing figure in this latest GPD racial profiling endeavor?

And don't tell me it's because "his personal record was wiped clean".

Does anyone not see the incongruity in this juxtaposition of events,the absolute absurdity exhibited by this descision?

Or have we become so jaded by the ongoing GPD farce that we let the corrupt elites pay back their partners in slime with moves like this one, and the rest of us just shrug it off as no big deal?

[Techster64]

Some interesting things to consider in reading The Troublemaker. One is that an anonymous person offered the suggestion that Hinson is being groomed to become Asst. Chief. This could be a valid possibility, considering that Hinson appears to be on the fast track. Second thing is Ben has a copy of a newly filed lawsuit by.......Fox and Sanders against the City of Greensboro. Of course, Hinson is prominently mentioned in TE lawsuit. I wonder if there is any importance to the fact that the suit was filed in Forsyth County? Looking like the GPD heat is ready to sizzle in Greensboro this summer. Too bad that the local newspaper of record will miss the fun,

[Joe Guarino]

Bubba, in some respects, we can view Hinson's ascendancy as a natural consequence of the decision made by Mitchell Johnson and Linda Miles to purge his personnel record. Some will recall that this pair made a disastrous series of decisions as the GPD Fiasco unfolded. They were wrongheaded every step of the way.

How does Hinson get to ascend up the leadership ladder even though he has filed a lawsuit against the city? Lawsuits can be an instrument of protection. Once you charge discrimination, the employer cannot retaliate. That means if the employee technically qualifies for a promotion, and according to the criteria used is the "best person", then the promotion must be granted. This makes the purging of the personnel record critical because he would otherwise be ineligible for the promotion. I believe the lawsuit was cited as justification for purging his record-- but was that really necessary? Instead of their knees figuratively wobbling before his lawsuit, perhaps the case should have been allowed to go to court.

I believe Hinson's personal ambition and vision for the department was one of the topics discussed in the Bledsoe series.

Was the intent of Johnson and Miles perhaps to give him a ticket to ride, regardless of the merits? And of course, we cannot know whatever political influence might have been exerted behind the scenes on his behalf at that time.

[Joe Guarino]

Techster, yes, the question is whether Hinson is being considered for future promotions to assistant chief or even chief. That is not inconceivable given the nature of our fair city.

Sanders and Fox were the two parties most severely wronged during the entire GPD controversy. I truly hope they will prevail with their lawsuit.

[Billy Jones]

Mary, I knew you'd understand. Sorry about the nose wash.

[hugh]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Greensboro racist politics, Chief Miller.

[bubba]

"Too bad that the local newspaper of record will miss the fun"

The ghost of John Robinson's and Lorraine Ahern's agenda still haunts the place, I'm sure.

[bubba]

"Instead of their knees figuratively wobbling before his lawsuit, perhaps the case should have been allowed to go to court."

For most of us, that was a no-brainer. For the perpetually no-brained set, the decision made sense, I'm sure.

The continuing saga of official malfeasance and corruption in the governing of Our Fair City is a never-ending saga. and yet to the self-appointed elites/cabalists, everything is just peachy now that they've purged those pesky conservatives from City Council.

And the chinese fire drill mentality of civic government continues......

[Dr. Mary Johnson]

Techster, I am very familiar with "the way". Our local "newspapers" were bought and paid for years ago.

Where are the ghost-busters when you need them?

Great example: WRAL featured an interview with lame-dumpling, Bev Purdue, that would have made anyone who understands the truth about what "progressive" fiscal & social policy has done to this state (particularly with regards to education) HURL BUCKETS at the screen.

The "reporter" lobbed softballs and sat there like a knot-on-a-rotten-log while this woman represented herself as a champion of the people - and boasted she will go down fighting for the status quo. It was disgusting.

I so HOPE Roy Cooper runs. Now THERE'S a record I can rip to shreds.

Billy, it's okay. When you're laughing (as opposed to crying), it doesn't hurt as bad.

[Techster64]

Bubba, I was thinking more along the lines that the News & Record now is so oblivious that they won't even know what is happening and they have no collective memory on what went on in Cops in Black and White. Anyone know where the author of said publication is and what he is doing these days? Chief Miller should dig up some old Rhinos and get up to speed on his staff.

[Joe Guarino]

I am hoping the author, if he is feeling well enough, can see his way clear to begin writing for the Rhino again.

[Sal Leone]

I talk with a lot of Guilford County Deputies and they all are happy and love B.J Barnes. I talk with GPD Officers and they are all unhappy and never a good word to say about their leadership. I say merge the GPD with Guilford County Sheriff and form a agency under Barnes. This will get rid of all the fat at the top, and Barnes can get rid of problem childs.