City to Introduce Wayne Scott as Police Chief on Thursday

"GREENSBORO, NC (March 11, 2015) – Greensboro City Manager Jim Westmoreland is set to introduce Wayne Scott as Greensboro’s 22nd police chief during a 12 noon media briefing Thursday at the Greensboro Police Headquarters, 100 Police Plaza. Scott is a 24-year veteran of the Greensboro Police Department, most recently serving as deputy chief since 2012.

"Wayne’s entire career leading up to this point has prepared him to be an outstanding chief for our community and I’m excited to announce him as Greensboro’s next chief of police," says City Manager Jim Westmoreland.  "Wayne’s overall vision for the department, significant police service and police leadership experience, familiarity with the department and community, and ideas and strategies to further strengthen police/community relations and to build trust, were all keys to his appointment. That experience will serve him well as he begins his new role and looks to move the department forward.”

During his introduction on Thursday, Scott will offer insight into his plan for progressive policing by continuing to build upon the strong foundation of work laid by the Greensboro Police Department while enhancing efforts to improve police/community interactions, transparency, and trust. Among the plan components, Scott will include:

• Personally connecting with community leaders to strengthen relationships;
• Continuing emphasis on diversity and implicit bias training for Greensboro police; 
• Recruiting a department that is reflective of the community;
• Implementing the Neighborhood Oriented Policing plan to improve response times, provide proactive patrol, and increased community engagement;  
• Continuing high-level professional development and leadership training within the organization;
• Developing and better promoting additional youth engagement initiatives; 
• Seeking new partnerships with faith, business and community leaders.

 “Greensboro is a community where I am invested in its prosperity and success and I’ve dedicated the last 24 years of my life to serving its residents,” says Scott. “I am 100 percent committed to fulfilling the department’s vision of becoming a national model for exceptional policing through a commitment to excellence, selfless public service, and effective community partnerships.”

Scott joined the Greensboro Police Department in 1991, serving in positions of increased responsibility during his tenure. In 2012, former police chief Ken Miller promoted Scott to deputy chief where he led the criminal investigations bureau and the patrol bureau. Under his leaders as deputy chief of the patrol bureau, he oversaw the operational employment of more than 400 officers as they provided daily law enforcement support throughout the city. Scott’s previous assignments include: commander of the central patrol division, commander of the training division, traffic safety officer and crash reconstructionist, and community resource officer.

The City's search for a replacement for previous chief Ken Miller started in November shortly after Miller left to take the chief's post in Greenville, SC. Through the help of a national search firm, the process included a 30-day national advertising period that yielded 44 candidates for the position.

Of those, 15 were selected for phone screenings with the top seven identified to go through an assessment center process. That portion of the process tested the candidate's policing, leadership and community interaction skills. Candidates were assessed by police chiefs from across the state along with members of community, faith, and business organizations in Greensboro that have high interactions with the chief’s position. The most recent and final portion of the process included the two finalists meeting with GPD officers and command team groups, a second group of community, faith, and business leaders, and one-on-one interviews with the City Manager.  

About Wayne Scott:

Age: 45

Master of Science in Management, Liberty University

Bachelor of Arts, John Wesley College

February 2014-Present: Deputy Chief of Police, Investigative Bureau

April 2012-February 2014: Deputy Chief of Police, Patrol Bureau

April 2012: Promoted to Deputy by Police Chief Ken Miller

March 2011-April 2012: Captain, Police Training Division

March 2009-March 2011: Captain, Central Patrol Division

March 2009: Promoted to Captain by Police Chief Tim Bellamy

April 2007-March 2009: Lieutenant, Police Training Division

April 2007: Promoted to Lieutenant by Police Chief Tim Bellamy

September 2003-April 2007: Sergeant, Special Operations Division

June 2002-September 2003: Sergeant, Eastern Patrol Division

June 2002: Promoted to Sergeant by Police Chief Robert White

November 1999-June 2002: Corporal, Western Patrol Division

November 1999: Promoted to Corporal by Police Chief Robert White

June 1998-November 1999: Crime Prevention Officer, Western Patrol Division

January 1996-June 1998: Community Resource Officer, Western Patrol Division

June 1994-January 1996: Police Training Officer, Western Patrol Division

August 1991-June 1994: Police Officer, Western Patrol Division"

- A Press Release

Greensboro Asked to Celebrate the First National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day

           

 "Today is the first national Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, a time to show support for police officers, sheriff’s deputies and other law enforcement professionals who serve and protect our communities.

            Started by the Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc. (C.O.P.S.), the FBI National Academy, and other partnering organizations, the grassroots movement is intended to counter the negative attention being given to the law enforcement profession by asking members of the public to show their appreciation for police officers.

            People can show their support in a number of ways:

• Wear blue clothing in support of law enforcement
• Change your profile picture on social media to the .jpg image attached to this event
• See a police officer? Thank a police officer
• Participate in Project Blue Light. Replace your white porch light with a blue one today
• Post your words of encouragement on the Greensboro Police Department’s Face book page
• Share a positive story about a positive law enforcement experience on social media
• Ask children in your community write letters in support of law enforcement
• Advertise your support through local media outlets

According to the C.O.P.S. website, each day 780,000 police officers across our country put a badge on and go to work knowing they may face extremely dangerous situations. Yet, they go to work anyway….. On average, between 105 and 203 officers die in the line of duty each year, 50,000 officers are assaulted in the line of duty each year, 14,000 officers are injured in the line of duty each year, and over 300 officers commit suicide each year.

Today is an opportunity to let officers know you care about them and appreciate all they do keep our city safe."

- A Press Release

Four Teens Arrested in Series of Craigslist Robberies

"GREENSBORO, NC (July 25, 2014) –  Four local teens have been arrested in connection with three robberies from people who were selling items through the popular online classified ad site Craigslist earlier this month.

            Facing multiple charges including Larceny from the Person, and Conspiracy to Commit a Felony are:

Cheavez Ajee Clapp, 17, 705 Granby Avenue, High Point  

Timothy Shalom Gorham, Jr., 17, 512 Stockwood Court, High Point

Thomas Elijah Gorham, 17, (Timothy’s brother) 512 Stockwood Court, High Point

Ahmad Yashu-a Muhammad, 17, 908 Stockwood Court, High Point

            The first case they are connected to occurred on July 2 when they allegedly stole an iphone for sale by a 64-year-old Fox Hollow Road resident. As the victim’s son was attempting the sale, one occupant of the vehicle grabbed the phone as the driver accelerated.           

The next incident occurred on July 8th when they met a woman selling a cell phone at the Bank of America at 2105 Pinecroft Road. The woman was dragged approximately 20 feet when she refused to let go of the phone after the passenger grabbed it and the driver sped off.

The third crime occurred in the parking lot of the McDonalds at the intersection of High Point Road and Holden Road on July 10, 2014. In this incident, the ‘buyer’ asked the seller for the phone in order to charge it. After obtaining the phone, the teens drove off.

Thomas Gorham and Muhammad remain confined in the Greensboro Jail Central on $15,000 secured bonds. Timothy Gorham and Clapp were released to the custody of their parents.

The High Point Police Department assisted with the investigation.

Greensboro police continue to encourage buyers and sellers to conduct transactions from online classified ad sites at police stations.  If that is not possible, police advise:

Do not meet in a secluded place, or invite strangers into your home. 

Do not go to a second location after meeting at the first location. 

Tell a friend or family member where you're going before meeting a buyer or seller. 

Trust your instincts. If something doesn’t “feel” right, leave the area. You can always sell your item later, or find another item to buy."

A Police Report

Can You Identify? Greensboro Police Need Your Help

"On June 2, 2014 at approximately 4:30 am the individual pictured above entered the Great Stops convenience store located at 5412 W Market St and robbed the store of a disclosed amount of cash.  The suspect is described as an 18-20 year old black male who was wearing a “V for Vendetta” type mask.  The suspect fled the area on foot headed east from Great Stops. 

IF YOU KNOW THE IDENTITY OF THIS INDIVIDUAL OR HAVE ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THIS INCIDENT CALL

CRIME STOPPERS @ 373-1000 OR TEXT KEYWORD BADBOYZ AND YOUR TIP TO 274637

ALL CALLS TO CRIME STOPPERS ARE COMPLETELY ANONYMOUS

GREENSBORO/GUILFORD CRIME STOPPERS WILL PAY A CASH REWARD OF

UP TO $2,000.00 FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE ARREST OR INDICTMENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL(S) RESPONSIBLE"

A Press Release

Man shot, flees scene

"On May 21, 2014 at approximately 2:00 am, Officers responded to 201 Berryman Street in reference to a report of a subject having been shot at this location.

Upon arrival, Officers were unable to locate a victim but did locate a crime scene. Several minutes after Officer arrival on Berryman Street, another Officer initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed on N. Holden Road near Christ Church Road. As that Officer approached the vehicle, he observed one of the occupants to be suffering from gunshot wounds to the abdomen and to the arm.

The preliminary investigation indicates that the victim was the subject reportedly shot at 201 Berryman Street. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries, which are not considered to be life threatening at this time.

There is no suspect information at this time and the investigation is ongoing.

Eastern Division Patrol, Central Division Patrol, CID, and CSI responded to the incident.

Sent Authority: Lieutenant CM Schultheis, Watch Commander

                                                                                                           

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 336.373.1000."

A Police Report

Man arrested after hitting four police cars while fleeing

Normally we don't post press releases, and but this one is too unique not to share. This was sent out by the Greensboro Police Department about two hours ago. 

Three Greensboro police officers received minor injuries late this afternoon when their vehicles were struck by a pickup truck driven by a man suspected of transporting drugs.

Acting on a credible tip that the man was bringing several kilos of cocaine into the city, vice/narcotics officers attempted to block his vehicle at approximately 4:19 p.m. as it was slowing for a traffic signal at the intersection of High Point Road and South Holden Road.

The operator evaded officers by accelerating his vehicle and striking four unmarked police vehicles, including one head-on. He then fled southbound on Holden Road, entered I85 southbound, crossed the highway median in the vicinity of Groometown Road, abandoned his vehicle near the overpass entrance to I85, and fled on foot.

Greensboro Police Department K9 tracked the suspect to a marshy area inside a perimeter established by Guilford County Sheriff’s deputies and Greensboro police. He was taken into custody without further incident.

The suspect is currently being interviewed by police. His name has not been verified. The vehicle has not yet been searched.

Additional information will be provided in a later update.

UPDATE (9 a.m. Tuesday): Police found 2 kilos of cocaine in the vehicle. The department has not yet released the driver's name. 

UPDATE (11 a.m. Tuesday): Police identified the man as  Ramon Conchas-Escobedo, 33, of Asheboro. "Escobedo faces multiple felony charges including Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer. He is confined in Greensboro Jail Central on a $1,000,000 secured bond. The officers are expected to fully recover."

Read: Bennett and A&T student complaints about Greensboro police

Today's dirt article about two incidents between Bennett College students and Greensboro police references the complaints that students filed with the city after the incidents in Sebastian Village apartments. In the first incident, students describe how they were treated when police knocked on their door looking for an armed robbery suspect and in the second, Bennett students celebrating graduation give their version of a night that led to four arrests after noise complaint calls.

Read the complaint and other relevant documents from the first incident here.

For some reason I am having technical difficulties uploading the complaints from the second incident but I will update this post as soon as possible. I apologize for the inconvenience.

Beloved Community Center Meeting calls for action

Fired police officers Charles Cherry, Joseph Pryor and A.J. Blake

Amidst prayers and passionate speeches, a plan of action came to the forefront of the Beloved Community Center meeting on police misconduct.

Beloved Community Center board chair Pat Priest and community organizer Joseph Frierson asked for participation the entire night of April 4, and they got more than they might have expected when Mayor Pro Tem Yvonne Johnson said she believed the Greensboro City Council could muster five votes to create a police citizens review board.

After an audience member asked how to go about getting a review board, Johnson replied, “All you have to do is bring a request to city council, and we’ll vote on it…. I think you probably have five people who will vote for it.”
 
The night centered on Our Democratic Mission, a Beloved report released in January detailing 14 separate cases of alleged police misconduct. The document was referenced throughout the night as a way to mobilize the community to address concerns raised in the report. The first speaker of the night, the Rt. Rev. Alfred C. Marble, assisting bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina and board member at Beloved, commented on the necessity of community involvement.

“Greensboro is predominately a black and white community, but it is an international community,” Marble said. “We need everyone to get involved.”

After speeches from Marble, and the Rev. Nelson Johnson, executive director of the Beloved Community Center, and case reviews from Bennett College student Imani Wilburg-Folds and Brian C. Sims of NC A&T University, Beloved conveners opened the floor to questions. The first inquiry stirred the crowd as A&T student Alicia Funderburke asked how she could get involved. A series of answers led to the greater idea, brought forward by lawyer and civil rights activist Lewis Pitts.

“The most patriotic thing we can do is stand up and fight,” Pitts said.

Later, Pitts hit at the heart of the issue: “Who do we allow to wear guns and lock up citizens?” he asked. “We must be able to hold them accountable.”

Guilford College associate professor Sherry Giles agreed. She stated more than once a need for a citizens review board to hold the police accountable. Working with her students, she said they most often came to a recurring question: “How do we give power back to the citizens?”
The question rang true throughout the meeting. Before a video showing some of the more harrowing cases in Greensboro’s troubled past with police brutality, Vice-Chairperson Dale Tonkins introduced three former Greensboro police officers, Joseph Pryor, Charles Cherry and A.J. Blake, who are characterized in the report as having been wrongfully terminated.

While those cases dominated the night, the meeting’s framework built around a cry for citizen involvement. Marble called for Greensboro leadership to sit with Beloved staff and board members to discuss the past and the future.

“List every error in our publication so we can talk about this,” Marble said. “The council wants to blame it all on Nov. 3, 1979 and though no justice was found for that day, the problem continues.”

Marble referred to a case detailed in Our Democratic Mission involving Greensboro police. According to the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report on the incident, “the majority of commissioners find the single most important element that contributed to the violent outcome of the confrontation was the absence of the police.”

Rev. Johnson echoed Marble’s sentiments during the question-and-answer period. He called for a meeting about Our Democratic Mission before saying, “I know there is corruption because I have seen it. The internal police mechanism is flawed.”
 
He called for organization at every level, “every campus, every neighborhood and every church,” to bring forth the change Beloved eagerly desires.

Document: Beloved Community Center report on police

My staff column in today's paper about police investigations encourages readers to check out an extensive report by the Beloved Community Center for themselves. The report covers various cases that the center says point to a pattern of "corruption and double standards" within the Greensboro Police Department, impacting treatment of officers of color and communities of color.

 You can download the document here.

Documents on police surveillance, Abuzuaiter now public

YES! Weekly is making numerous documents connected to today's article on Councilwoman Marikay Abuzuaiter's correspondence with police available to the public, as well as a few key e-mails about police surveillance. We redacted phone numbers out of respect for privacy.

Read the files on Abuzuaiter here, including the e-mails Abuzuaiter claimed she did not send. The councilwoman denied all correspondence with Detective Rob Finch, and also said she never communicated with Capt. John Wolfe about the Beloved Community Center or Latin Kings. Another e-mail between Wolfe and Abuzuaiter was accidentally left off of the file. The two pages that are blank except for e-mail attachments contain images of planned protest maps in Charlotte, referenced in today's article. 

In a guest piece in Saturday's News & Record, the police chief, city attorney and city manager claimed a restraining order the city filed against YES! Weekly was aimed at preventing the release of intelligence that could expose an informant to serious danger. 

"The city acted appropriately when it learned that criminal intelligence information was inadvertently released to the media," they wrote. "It believed that publishing intelligence information, including informant information, created immediate risk of serious injury or death."

Here are the other files we received that identifies a confidential informant. Due to a technical error, this e-mail was omitted from the file:

Only one person was named (with a full name and e-mail address that we have redacted here) and this is the full extent of the documents involving that individual that we have. In another e-mail, Finch referred to this informant as a "snitch." Is the city's claim referring to this handful of files, or to the more extensive information included in the public-information request on Abuzuaiter? What credible information is the alleged "immediate risk" based on?

Miller also told the News & Record that there wasn't an undercover officer posing as part of Occupy Greensboro. We had technical difficulties with this document too but have included a screen shot below. Click to enlarge and read where Finch wrote (at the bottom) that he was in an Occupy meeting. Miller forwarded the message (at the top) to the Secret Service because President Obama would be in town, and he commented about Finch's role. 

We've also included a few other files of interest from the police surveillance article. 

Judge rejects city request to stop YES! Weekly distribution

The City of Greensboro attempted — and failed — to obtain a temporary restraining order against YES! Weekly on Tuesday evening to stop the distribution of information it says was accidentally given to the paper in public-information requests. City Attorney Mujeeb Shah-Khan confirmed this afternoon that Judge Ronald E. Spivey rejected the city's request filed in Guilford County Superior Court on Jan. 29 after 5 p.m. 

The city found out that we were going to publish information — our cover story about police surveillance of activists — that the city now says should not have been released. Shah-Khan said the city sought the restraining order to prevent the dissemination of information that was not public record but was criminal intelligence, even though it was released through public records requests filed with the city's public information office.

"We found out late Tuesday that information had been provided that would be the subject of a story… information that is protected from distribution under North Carolina law," Shah-Khan said. "We felt it was the appropriate thing to do at that time. We respect the decision made by the judge."

The hearing was ex-parte, meaning only the city was present, and  YES! Weekly didn't become aware of the city's attempt until sources contacted the paper Wednesday evening. 

Shah-Khan said he made the decision to request a restraining order in conjunction with Police Attorney Jim Clark. He said Chief Ken Miller was aware that confidential information.

"I can say with certainty that no council member was involved in the discussion or decision to pursue a restraining order," he wrote in an e-mail.

"The final decision was mine," Shah-Khan said. "The police attorney and I worked on that and we felt it was the appropriate way to go. The buck stops with me. I don’t tell the chief how to do police work and the chief doesn’t tell me how to do my job either. The chief was part of the group that had information as to what we’re looking at."

Shah-Khan would not comment on whether the action was necessary in retrospect, but said there hadn't been a meeting to assess whether the city made the right call. 

"This is a rare situation and I don’t recall if the city has done this on any other cases [with the media]," Shah-Khan said. "It’s criminal intelligence information. It talked about a confidential informant, at least according to your story."

Shah-Khan said if they could find information about whether the city has ever requested a temporary restraining order against a media outlet he would notify YES! Weekly. So what's next?

"There is no additional legal challenge," Shah Khan said. "You’ve published the story and we’ll move on from there."

[The original post was edited to reflect a clarification by City Attorney Mujeeb Shah-Khan about the role of city council members. Shah-Khan was originally quoted as saying he "doesn't recall" if council members were involved but he sent an e-mail after reading the blog post to clarify that none participated in the deicision.]

"Ghoulish safety advice" from police on Halloween

Likely the most entertaining press release I've ever received from the police department, below is GPD's public service announcement about Halloween. I can't help but laugh at the attempt to tell teenagers what's cool (as if adults have ever had say in that). I also wonder why it says you should never hurt a "helpless living thing" instead of just any living thing, and why they feel the need to tell adults to make sure their car has enough gas, but anyway...


  Greensboro Police Give Ghoulish Safety Advice

GREENSBORO, NC (October 26, 2012) –Greensboro police are warning residents of strange activity and unusual creatures in and around Gate City neighborhoods, with oddness and frivolity expected to culminate on October 31^st. Already communities are experiencing elaborate displays of jack o ‘lanterns, skeletons and black cats. Princesses have been spotted mingling with zombies; superheroes are joining forces with ghosts; and, there is an overabundance of candy consumption throughout the jurisdiction.

It must be Halloween! Attending costume parties, trick-or-treating, and playing harmless pranks can be fun. (Cue scary music.) But, evil and harm can be lurking amidst all the festivities. (Cut scary music.)   You can evade wickedness and get back to your castle safely by casting these good spells!

Youngsters 

·        Don’t eat your treats until you get them inspected at home. Let an adult empty out your goody bag on a clean surface and examine each treat. If something is wrong with the candy – don’t second guess yourself – throw it out.  Eating the wrong thing will make you feel a little ghoulish!

·        Wear a good fire resistant costume. Just make sure you can see and breathe through your mask. Bumping into walls is not cool.

·        You should be comfortable in your costume. It shouldn’t be so tight that you can’t move normally. It shouldn’t be too loose either. Tripping is a very bad wardrobe malfunction.

·        Put reflective markings on your costume. Make sure you or an adult carry a flashlight or a glow stick so you can be seen.

·        Stay in well-lit, familiar territory and don’t venture out into isolated areas. Creepy things hang out where it is dark.

·        Use sidewalks and crosswalks where available. Don’t run into the street.

---MORE---

Teens

·        If you are an older kid or young teen, and going out with friends, make sure that your parents know where you are going and who you are going with. This may seem like a pain but they are your parents and they love you. They just want you to be safe.

·        Never go out alone. Don’t become a target for someone to do bad things to you.

·        If your parents give you a curfew, be home when they say. It builds trust between you and them and they are doing it for your own safety. If you are going to be late, call and let them know.

·        Vandalism is never cool! Throwing eggs at cars and houses is not cool. Someone has to clean it up and it could be you, if you get caught. You can also be arrested and punished as a juvenile. So, don't think that it's fun only if you can get away with it. It's never the right thing to do! Think about how you would feel if someone did that to your house.

·        Hurting animals is never acceptable! Some people use Halloween as an excuse to hurt cats - and that is just wrong! Not only is it illegal and punishable by law, you should never hurt a helpless living thing.

Adults

·        If you are driving a bunch of friends to a party, make sure that you have enough gas to get there. You don't want to run out on a dark street, all alone, like a bad horror movie!

·        Drive very slowly where kids are trick or treating. Little monsters may run into the street unexpectedly.

·        Not a fan of trick or treating? Have an event at home or attend one sponsored by a school or community center. If you are serving alcohol, be a responsible host. Don’t allow your guests to drive impaired.

·        Have a family communication plan. You need to know where your kids are going to have fun and they need to know where you are also. Call and keep in touch.

·        Don’t re-live your childhood – this is not the time to make crazy dares or engage in wild pranks. Not only could you get hurt, you could be held liable for damaging someone’s property.

·        Drinking exotic concoctions may be ghoulishly wicked, but don’t overdo it. Always plan ahead to have a designated driver. Broom sticks and magic carpets included.

            Whether attending a late night showing of a scary movie, going to a monster bash party or venturing out into the night, Greensboro police want everyone to have a safe and fun Halloween.

No complaints on noise ordinance, police say

Along with several graphs supplied to council, Police Chief Ken Miller said there haven't been any complaints with the new noise ordinance. Council instructed the police to monitor the implementation of the ordinance for 60 days without issuing fines and to report back. The new noise ordinance went into effect July 15, and according to Miller, only three of the 54 tickets issued during the 60 days were to entertainment venues, the anticipated target of most complaints. Here is some of the content of his report to council in today's IFYI report. I assume the "female resident" lives in Center Pointe, since residents there (namely developer Roy Carroll and Teresa Yon) were behind the complaints aimed at Greene Street Club which is specifically named.

Greensboro police create "family victims unit"

I found this police announcement particularly interesting after researching and writing this week's cover story  that dealt with a number of the issues this new unit would address. The memo was dated July 26 and I received it as part of the weekly IFYI report yesterday.