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Greensboro police department accused of corruption, racism
Olivia Honeycutt
Issue date: 1/27/06 Section: News
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The "Black Book" was only a rumor until investigators found it in the trunk of a Greensboro police officer's patrol vehicle.
Since June 2005, allegations of police corruption and racism have created a whirlwind of activity and confusion for city officials, police and citizens.
As of Jan. 20, 2006, the FBI is investigating several charges of racial discrimination within the Greensboro Police Department.
The Black Book has been the focus of recent allegations of racial profiling within the police department. The book was discovered to be a black three-ring binder containing information and photos of 114 African-American males, including 19 police officers.
Some officers have claimed that the book was used by "secret police" to keep tabs on black officers.
Police Chief David Wray denied claims that the book of photos was used in an inappropriate manner. In his official press release on Jan. 19, Wray stated that the Black Book was a photo array used for an internal investigation involving a female informant.
A Greensboro police officer used this particular array in an attempt to identify the perpetrator of an alleged sexual assault.
The female informant did not identify an officer from the photos investigators showed her.
Wray resigned Jan. 9 in the wake of allegations of discrimination in his investigative practices.
On Jan. 19, Wray said to the News and Record that he would "look forward to an impartial FBI investigation which will get to the truth and clear the good name of all of us who have been unjustly accused."
In June, Wray suspended Lieutenant James "Hercules" Hinson during an on-going investigation into corruption in the department even though internal investigations had found allegations against Hinson to be unfounded.
Hinson felt he was targeted because he is an African-American.
"If I was a black officer, I would certainly feel targeted," said City Manager Mitchell Johnson, according to a Jan. 11 article in the News and Record. "Whether it represents systematic racism or simply very poor decision making ... is yet to be determined."
Since June 2005, allegations of police corruption and racism have created a whirlwind of activity and confusion for city officials, police and citizens.
As of Jan. 20, 2006, the FBI is investigating several charges of racial discrimination within the Greensboro Police Department.
The Black Book has been the focus of recent allegations of racial profiling within the police department. The book was discovered to be a black three-ring binder containing information and photos of 114 African-American males, including 19 police officers.
Some officers have claimed that the book was used by "secret police" to keep tabs on black officers.
Police Chief David Wray denied claims that the book of photos was used in an inappropriate manner. In his official press release on Jan. 19, Wray stated that the Black Book was a photo array used for an internal investigation involving a female informant.
A Greensboro police officer used this particular array in an attempt to identify the perpetrator of an alleged sexual assault.
The female informant did not identify an officer from the photos investigators showed her.
Wray resigned Jan. 9 in the wake of allegations of discrimination in his investigative practices.
On Jan. 19, Wray said to the News and Record that he would "look forward to an impartial FBI investigation which will get to the truth and clear the good name of all of us who have been unjustly accused."
In June, Wray suspended Lieutenant James "Hercules" Hinson during an on-going investigation into corruption in the department even though internal investigations had found allegations against Hinson to be unfounded.
Hinson felt he was targeted because he is an African-American.
"If I was a black officer, I would certainly feel targeted," said City Manager Mitchell Johnson, according to a Jan. 11 article in the News and Record. "Whether it represents systematic racism or simply very poor decision making ... is yet to be determined."