CHINA GROVE -- A suspended veteran police officer has been reinstated pending
the outcome of a hearing by the Board of Aldermen. A four-hour meeting of the Board of Aldermen here Tuesday night failed to
resolve the issues regarding the town's second highest ranking police officer, Lt.
David Miller, a 14-year veteran of the police department.
Miller, a former Salisbury officer, was
suspended by Chief Michael Bentley, who is in his second year as the town's top law
enforcement officer.
Around 11:30 p.m., Town Attorney Tom Brooke
announced that the board will reconvene at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in an attempt to resolve the
situation.
Officers from at least two other departments gave
testimony.
Under the town's policy, the police chief does not
have the authority to dismiss an employee. The board of aldermen retain that right, with a
provision for a hearing.
Alderman Ron Overcash, who heads the police
department, confirmed that Miller has been reinstated. He said the board ordered that
Miller be reinstated.
Overcash would not comment on whether the hearing
is on the chief's recommendation to fire Miller. He referred the question to the town
attorney who was not immediately available.
As aldermen and town officials headed for their
cars Tuesday night, Mayor Joseph Sloop wouldn't predict whether the Thursday meeting will
conclude the matter.
Bentley said he couldn't comment.
Miller immediately left the building accompanied by
his attorney, Todd Parris.
Bentley's suspension of Miller came following an
State Bureau of Investigation probe into the department related to leaks.
Last week, Bentley said the leaks dealt with information about drug investigations.
He confirmed that the State Bureau of Investigation
found no criminal wrongdoing on behalf of Miller or others in the department. He said an
internal investigation had also been conducted.
For more than two years, Miller has been an
investigator with the department. In recent weeks, Bentley made changes in the
department's operation, assigning Miller to patrol duties along with other officers. He
split the investigative duties between Miller and Sgt. Gary Phillips.
The Tuesday evening session, closed to the public,
was conducted as a legal proceeding.
Gilbert Mesimer, former mayor and board member,
along with former alderman Julia Wilson, stayed for the duration of the meeting. Mesimer
talked with officers and others gathered outside the town hall. Just before the beginning
of the meeting, he summoned Alderman Vernon Johnson outside for a brief chat.
Throughout the session, Miller sat at one table
with his attorney. Bentley sat at another table with a stack of notebooks and documents.
Witnesses were called and sworn in. They were
alternately questioned by Bentley, Parris and aldermen.
At the outset, aldermen held a early 30-minute
session, with both Bentley and Miller waiting in the lobby.
Nearly an hour after Bentley, Miller and Parris
were called before the board, the first of several witnesses was summoned.
Officer Tim Drew and Reserve Officer Brad Spurlin
guarded the doors of the meeting room and called witnesses.
Capt. Scott Stovall of the East Spencer Police
Department met with the board for nearly 30 minutes, followed by Capt. T. L.
Wood of the Rowan County Sheriff's Department. Wood supervises the criminal division.
Sgt. Kevin Auten, of the Sheriff's Department's
special investigative unit, was called as a witness but was not there.
Two hours into the session, China Grove officers
began testifying one by one. Richard Davis was the first, followed by David Earnhardt and
Sgt. Gary Davis. Leigh Brown, the school resource officer, was the last officer called.
All of the full-time China Grove officers had been
summoned to the meeting. Some apparently were called by Bentley, others by Miller's
attorney.
Both Miller and Bentley's wives stopped by the
Municipal Building during parts of the session. |
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