Post by WaTcHeR on Apr 20, 2006 11:56:05 GMT -5
04/20/2006 - GREENSBORO — A department employee under former Chief David Wray secretly recorded and saved conversations with several community leaders, including clergy, attorneys, doctors and business owners.
In addition, current police officials said Wednesday, that same non sworn employee attended some "meetings with members of the community" during which discussions were also recorded.
It is unclear whether any law was broken by the employee, whose actions were uncovered as the city investigated the now defunct Special Intelligence Section, used by Wray to surveil several officers accused of misconduct.
"It happened in my office ... and I'm mad about it," said Joe Williams, an attorney who represented a black police lieutenant repeatedly investigated by the squad and who said he was on one of the recordings. "But I'll tell you one thing — I would not have known about it had the city not disclosed it to me."
The squad, reorganized after Wray resigned in January, was known to the rank-and-file as the "secret police." The FBI is conducting its own investigation into possible civil rights violations.
In addition, current police officials said Wednesday, that same non sworn employee attended some "meetings with members of the community" during which discussions were also recorded.
It is unclear whether any law was broken by the employee, whose actions were uncovered as the city investigated the now defunct Special Intelligence Section, used by Wray to surveil several officers accused of misconduct.
"It happened in my office ... and I'm mad about it," said Joe Williams, an attorney who represented a black police lieutenant repeatedly investigated by the squad and who said he was on one of the recordings. "But I'll tell you one thing — I would not have known about it had the city not disclosed it to me."
The squad, reorganized after Wray resigned in January, was known to the rank-and-file as the "secret police." The FBI is conducting its own investigation into possible civil rights violations.