The Wray riddle
Even as more details about a consultant's report have been published, the question remains: If former Greensboro police Chief David Wray committed even only a fraction of the alleged improprieties noted in the report, how could this make sense?
How could this be the same man who spent most of his career on the Greensboro police force -- the same one who some black people, white people and Muslims have rushed to defend?
One explanation is that he is completely innocent. But that seems unlikely, given the volume of evidence and allegations from so many different sources.
Another possibility is that he isn't racist -- that his motivations have more to do with not liking the policies or priorities of the previous chief, Robert White, and doing all he could to erase White's legacy -- including the design of police cars, the status of some of White's most trusted and favored lieutenants and work schedules used during White's tenure.
White and Wray were not all that close.
Still another is more philosophical. How well do we know anyone?
I still consider my impressions of people with whom I have contact on a regular basis -- people who seem personable and sharp-witted.
People I like talking to.
But I don't work for them. I don't see them several hours a day. From the outside lookig inm they would seem to be terrific bosses. But how would I really know? I don't know their management styles. I don't know how effective they are as leaders. I don't know how they react under pressure.
At the very least it appears Wray was a lousy manager who did a poor job of inspiring trust among his officers and his bosses.
At the very least.
Comments (8)
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One explanation is that he is completely innocent. But that seems unlikely, given the volume of evidence and allegations from so many different sources.
What evidence? Don't you think it's time for the evidence to be put on the table as it is and not just hit or miss statements from those who which to try convict and hang the man. That's the least the N&R could do. Then when the evidence is on the table for all to see the public could make up their mind and not depend on a handful to make the decision that the man is guilty which it appears has already been made. Time for the N&R to either put up or shut up.
Posted on March 18, 2006 9:05 AM
It's interesting how the focus in these comments is so often on the newspaper. The City Council and staff are the ones who have seen all the evidence, and they are the ones who forced Wray out, and stood by their decisions (see Sandy Carmany's blog).
The N&R reports the news, it doesn't make it. I understand that people are frustrated with the paper's decision on the report it received, and I've written that the City should release as much info as possible, as soon as possible.
But readers seem to forget who has all the reports, and who makes the decisions.
Posted on March 18, 2006 3:29 PM
Ed it would seem that the N&R has more than what it has released but yet continues to not release their information. The city should, and I can agree on that point, release all the reports and not leave it for a few to speculate on the guilt of Mr. Wray. Or perhaps I should say continue to try , convict and hang the man via the N&R.
Posted on March 18, 2006 3:47 PM
I do not know any of the parties involved in the Wray affair, and I have had contact with members of the GPD only a few times (always with a positive result) in the 14 years I have been living here. I have no political or social dog in this hunt.
Given my standing in the issue, and given what I've read, it appears to me that the N&R has long ago made up its mind in the Wray case, and reports accordingly. I am not alone in feeling this way.
Let's get all the facts out, and reserve judgment until we understand them.
Posted on March 18, 2006 4:45 PM
Again, the "convicting and hanging" has already been done, by the City.
The City has all the reports, and the City forced Wray out.
Whatever the N&R should or should not do in terms of releasing more information, it's a sideshow to the City's actions and information.
Posted on March 18, 2006 4:48 PM
Sometimes the sideshows can be just as good as the middle ring in a three ring circus, Ed.
It's time for all, N&R, city and who ever else has info on this situation to open it up or shut up.
Posted on March 18, 2006 5:29 PM
Wray himself has admitted that he had lost the confidence of the city manager.
Meanwhile, I don't know that he has been tried and convicted already.
But the evidence does suggest some major issues with how he managed the Police Depatment. That's my main point here.
Posted on March 19, 2006 12:01 AM
Until the N&R releases the report for it's readers to see, all we have to rely on is the apparently biased word of the reporters.
Put it up for all of us to see and let us make up our own minds what the reports says. Your interpretation may not be the same as mine.
Posted on March 19, 2006 7:02 PM