Officer Ahmed Blake charged

Guilford County court records indicate that Ahmed Joseph Blake, 32, has been charged with misdemeanor assault on a female. As of today at 3 p.m., court records indicated that the warrant had not been served. More here.

Update, Jan. 22, 4:24 p.m.: As of 3:12 p.m., court records indicate that the warrant against Blake has still not been served.

Update, Jan. 23, 5:30 p.m.: As of 4:14 p.m., court records indicate that Blake has still not been served.

Update, Jan. 27: Warrant served. In fact, information on the warrant indicates that it was received, served and returned on Jan. 20.

So why did the computer terminal for criminal cases at the Guilford County Courthouse indicate on Jan. 21-23 that the warrant was "unserved" and why did a clerk tell me on two occasions that it was not in the court's posession? Typically, once a warrant is served and returned at the magistrate's office it goes directly to the clerk of court. The two offices are across the street from each other. I try to be pretty agreeable when working with folks in the criminal justice system, but there's no good explanation for why a public record such as a warrant should be in limbo for three to seven days.

The same thing happened with the case file for Lankford Protective Services officer Byron Wayne Meadows. It took seven days for the file to travel from the magistrate's office after the warrant was served across the street to the courthouse, and no one seemed to know where it was in the meantime. And that was after five months in which the warrant wasn't served. Is it because both Blake and Meadows are members of the law enforcement community that the paperwork is so screwy? Is it because public servants who work in the criminal justice system don't like media types to look into these cases?

Whatever the case, Byron Meadows, AKA Bryan Meadows faces trial on Thursday. I'll be there.

Now, back to Ahmed Blake:

The allegation against Blake ties into two political cross-currents in Greensboro:

1) Blake has worked with the gang enforcement unit, which is unpopular with some progressive constituencies in the city.

2) At-large Councilwoman Mary Rakestraw made the point to me — echoed by others — that Blake is one of the 39 black police officers who has filed suit against the city, claiming discrimination under the administration of former police Chief David Wray. Based on a notion that the integrity of the police department has deteriorated since the departure of Wray, Rakestraw and fellow council conservatives Mike Barber and Trudy Wade have become increasingly critical of police conduct.