November 3, 2010

Mayor Bill Knight and Greensboro City Council

300 W. Washington Street
Greensboro, North Carolina 27401

Reference: City of Greensboro Citizens Complaint And Demand Of Investigation Of Assistant

Chief Dwight K. Crotts, Regarding Violation OF North Carolina General Statute 160A-168,
Privacy Of Personnel Records

Dear Mayor Knight and City Council:

Within our very own Greensboro Police Department lay a “culture of corruption and double
standards.” You have heard this outcry on many occasions, but choose to remain dormant. There
are a number of extraordinary police officers that serve our community well. There are also those
police officers, especially in the hierarchy, that are not being held to the desired standard of
accountability and professionalism required, for a safe, fair, and all inclusive community
environment.

On or about September 7, 2010, two (2) audio recordings of Assistant Chief D.K. Crotts were
placed on the YOUTUBE website. These recordings can also be located on the Beloved
Community Center website, www.belovedcommunitycenter.org. One (1) only needs to place DK
Crotts in the search bar. One (1) of the recordings is slightly over four (4) minutes and the other
is slightly over five (5) minutes. These recordings are related to an investigation regarding
Greensboro Police Officer Robert Reyes.

Assistant Chief Crotts, in the four (4) minute audio, appears to be clearly violating North
Carolina General Statute 160A-168 Personnel Privacy, subsection (c2) (e) which states, in
italics, “A public official or employee who knowingly, willfully, and with malice permits any
person to have access to information contained in a personnel file, except as is permitted by this
section, is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor and upon conviction shall only be fined an amount
not more than five hundred (500) dollars.” As this alleged criminal act is on the internet for all
to view, please do the following immediately.
• Notify the community, through the Beloved Community Center, in written
correspondence how you plan on addressing this matter.
• Conduct a thorough investigation of Assistant Chief Crotts’ YOUTUBE audio recordings
to include the allegation of violation of North Carolina Personnel Privacy Law, and
finding out why Assistant Chief Crotts committed the alleged act.
• Investigate and disclose why Police Chief Ken Miller and City Manager Rashad Young
have taken no corrective action regarding Assistant Chief Crotts’ YOUTUBE audio
recordings, after being notified of the existence of the recordings.
On or about August 15, 2010, Officer M.D. Royal was suspended without pay and recommended
for termination by then Interim Chief Dwight Crotts. On or about September 15, 2010, Police
Chief Ken Miller reinstated Officer Royal back to work without convening a Greensboro Police
Department General Board of Inquiry Hearing or subjecting Officer Royal to any disciplinary
action. Police Chief Ken Miller took this action after viewing a recording of Officer Royal’s
polygraph test. Police Chief Ken Miller notes two (2) issues he had with Officer Royal’s
polygraph test as the length of time pre (before the test was actually given) polygraph, and
Officer Royal being deceived during the testing. Chief Miller has stated that no investigation of
the polygraph process (Assistant Chief D. K. Crotts who is responsible for the investigation, to
include the polygraph) is necessary.

It should be noted that North Carolina General Statute 160A-168 Privacy of Personnel Records
subsection (c) (7) states in italics, “The City Manager, with concurrence of the council, or, in
cities not having a manager, the council may inform any person of the employment or non-
employment, promotion, demotion, suspension or other disciplinary action, reinstatement,
transfer, or termination of a city employee and the reasons for that personnel action. Before
releasing the information, the manager or council shall determine in writing that the release is
essential to maintaining public confidence in the administration of city services or to
maintaining the level and quality of city services. This written determination shall be retained in
the office of the manager or the city clerk, and is a record available for public inspection and
shall become part of the employee’s personnel file.”

It is essential that Officer M.D. Royal’s recorded polygraph be released for viewing. The release
is essential to maintaining public confidence in the administrative accountability, oversight,
fairness and trust within the police department. Supportive reasoning is as follows:
• Assistant Chief Dwight Crotts has two (2) audios on YOUTUBE in which he clearly
appears to be in violation of North Carolina Personnel Privacy Law. Officer Royal’s
polygraph has a direct link to Assistant Chief Crotts’ alleged law violation.
• Complaints have been made directly to City Manager Rashad Young, however, no
investigation has occurred.
• Assistant Chief Dwight Crotts suspended Officer Royal without pay and recommended
Officer Royal for termination based upon Officer Royal’s polygraph. Assistant Chief
Crotts stated on the YOUTUBE audio that Officer Royal’s polygraph showed Officer
Royal to be untruthful and Officer Royal could not be a witness for Officer Reyes.
• Police Chief Ken Miller reinstated Officer Royal without a General Board of Inquiry
Hearing and without Officer Royal receiving discipline.
• Chief Ken Miller’s handling of Officer Royal’s reinstatement/polygraph caused
discriminatory treatment of another GPD officer. The other officer was reinstated without
a departmental hearing, but was disciplined.
• Something would have to be wrong in the polygraph testing/method, or Police Chief Ken
Miller reinstated an untruthful Officer to full duty status. If accurate, this poses a threat
for Greensboro citizenry.
• Police Chief Ken Miller has three (3) uninvestigated discrimination complaints against
him, alleged by three (3) different individuals in a two (2) month period (September 1,
2010-October 31, 2010).
• Two (2) Greensboro Police Commanders that viewed Officer Royal’s polygraph
recording were appalled at the treatment of Officer Royal.
• The polygraph recording could confirm or deny some allegations against Assistant Chief
D.K. Crotts relating to being discriminatory, retaliatory and unfair regarding Officer
Royal’s polygraph.
• Assistant Chief Dwight Crotts has continuously violated Greensboro Police Departmental
Directives and Policies. For instance on August 12, 2010, City Manager Rashad Young
wrote the following, in a memo he distributed to city personnel, in italics: There have
 also been some questions raised about our Fitness For Duty and Family Medical Leave
Act (FMLA) practices. To be certain, no employee should be subjected to a fitness for
duty evaluation based upon the utilization of the grievance or complaint process. This
would not comport with our organizational norms and values. End of Excerpt From
Rashad Young’s memo. Assistant Chief of Police Dwight Crotts writes, in
recommending Former Captain Charles Cherry for a Fitness For Duty Psychological
Evaluation, in italics: During the past two (2) months, Captain C.E. Cherry has
submitted and/or written seven (7) grievances. He has also submitted and/or authored
additional responses to the responses he has received. End of Excerpt From Assistant
Chief Dwight Crotts’ recommendation memo relating to psychological evaluation of
Former Captain Cherry. Either City Manager Rashad Young is being untruthful, or
Assistant Chief D.K. Crotts did not following protocol and policies.
• On August 12, 2010, City Manager Rashad Young wrote in a memo to city personnel, in
italics, In understanding the GPD’s Fitness for Duty Process it is important to also refer
to Directive 7.5, Professional Standards Program. This program, by policy, is a non-
disciplinary avenue to address problems as early as possible in a proactive manner. End
of Excerpt From Rashad Young’s memo. Assistant Chief Dwight Crotts ordered the
investigation of Former Captain Charles Cherry on June 24, 2010, while Former Captain
Cherry was still in the fitness for duty psychological status, that was recommended by
Assistant Chief Crotts. End of Order by Assistant Chief Crotts. Either City Manager
Rashad Young is being untruthful, or Assistant Chief D.K. Crotts did not follow protocol
and policies.
• Officer Royal’s polygraph and the previous bulleted points can confirm Assistant Chief
Crotts’ propensity for law, rule and directive violations.
• Thirty-nine (39) minority police officers are in litigation with the City of Greensboro
relating to discrimination.
• Lieutenant J.E. Hinson a minority officer is in current litigation with the City.
• Six (6) minority officers were suspended without pay and recommended for termination
in the month of August, by then Interim Chief Dwight Crotts. Three (3) were terminated
and three (3) were reinstated to the police department. All of the suspensions and
terminations were amid documented and recorded corrupted police administrative
behavior. The City Council has been apprised of some of the corrupted behavior through
approximately twenty seven (27) separate documents submitted to the council by the
Greensboro Chapter of the NAACP.
• City Manager Rashad Young and Police Chief Ken Miller continue to suggest litigation
for the aforementioned officers instead of correcting corrupted behavior.
• This litigation costs the Greensboro taxpayers unnecessary amounts of money, defending
lawsuits instead of correcting corrupted behavior of supervisory personnel.
• On October 30, 2001, a Civil Rights Title VI Complaint has been filed with the
Department of Justice against the City on behalf of the Latin Kings.
• A Greensboro Police supervisor is recorded stating to an employee that he would conduct
an investigation on himself, and was directed to do so by his chain of command and the
City Manager.
For these and other unlisted reasons, to begin to reestablish public trust in the Greensboro Police
Department, Officer M.D. Royal’s polygraph test recording should be released by the order of
the Greensboro City Council. Assistant Chief Dwight Crotts or Police Chief Ken Miller has
acted immorally as it relates to Officer Royal’s recorded polygraph, or both have. Either Officer
Royal should have never been given the polygraph, or Police Chief Ken Miller has reinstated an
untruthful officer within the ranks of the GPD.
In addition, Lieutenant G.M. Richey, Acting Eastern Division Patrol Commander, stated to
Former Police Officer J.L. Pryor, “I have something else you probably won’t agree with. I don’t
believe in letting black training officers train black trainees. The reason for that is that minorities
share common experiences, and they can always find each other.” Officer Pryor complained both
written and verbally to City Manager, Mr. Rashad Young. Mr. Young took no corrective action
and allowed Lieutenant Richey to recommend Officer Pryor’s termination from the Greensboro
Police Department.

Please conduct an appropriate investigation to include Lieutenant Richey’s explanation of why

he made the comment, and the logic supporting the comment. It should be noted that Lieutenant
Richey serves as one (1) of the main instructors/organizers, relating to the Greensboro Police
Department’s Police Training Officer’s Program.

On November 11, 2010, at 6:00pm at Bethel AME Church, 200 N. Regan Street, there will be a
community meeting. Police accountability and professionalism among other things will be
discussed. You are cordially invited and please extend an invitation to City Manager Rashad
Young.

It is our request that all questions in this letter be answered by correspondence to the Beloved
Community Center. Your assistance and efforts are appreciated. Please note the multiple clergy
signatures to indicate concurrence with this letter’s contents.

Concerned Clergy of Greensboro