Update: RMA report, and other records
Some portions of a controversial police department review could see the light of day later this week.
But they might be sections of the document the city already released.
Guilford County Superior Court Judge John O. Craig heard arguments Monday that the Risk Management report on the police department and closed session minutes where city council discussed former Police Chief David Wray should be released to the public.
Two local bloggers, Sam Spagnola and Roch Smith, sued after Greensboro did not turn over their requested documents, including the black book, a photo lineup that included black police officers; records about the police department investigation; and information regarding Project Homestead, a local nonprofit homebuilder that went under amidst questions of how it used funds.
The RMA report and some closed session minutes were the remaining points of contention in the suit. The city argued that the report should be withheld under the personnel law, which protects municipal employee information.
Although Craig spent much of the day Tuesday reading through the documents, he said Wednesday morning that he wasn't comfortable ruling on all of it. He still needed to closely read the body of the report and one section of the appendix.
He did say that the city should release parts of the appendix that contained newspaper articles, general info about the organization of the department, and an investigation into a police officer's wife. None of those things would fall under the protection of the personnel law, Craig said.
City attorney Becky Jo Peterson-Buie said some of the items Craig recommended for release already been given to the public, although apparently not to the plaintiffs. Her colleague, Jamiah Waterman, objected to the release of the parts about the officer's wife, but Craig insisted they were not personnel records since the woman does not work for the city.
Other sections of the appendix, which included investigations of specific allegations against a police officer, could be withheld, Craig said.
Craig also ordered the Greensboro attorney to reveal some information in the closed session minutes which had been previously redacted by the city.
The parties are due back in court Friday, when Craig will give his final word on the RMA report.
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