Greensboro Police Chief Tim Bellamy was chosen Best Law Enforcement Officer in Yes! Weekly’s list of the Triad’s Best.* Who else is on the list? Guilford County Sheriff B.J. (‘It’s our house or your house’) Barnes, who successfully convinced voters that they need a new $114 million jail? Winston-Salem Police Chief Pat Norris doesn’t count, because she’s retired and working on contract until June 30. That only leaves the controversial Greensboro Police Lt. James Hinson.
At any rate, Greensboro City Council member Mike Barber, voted Best City Council member (in a tie with Mary Rakestraw and Zach Matheny) doesn’t think Belamy’s so great, even if the three GPD officers accused of sexual assault have been cleared by Guilford district attorney Doug Henderson:
Barber said the burden now is on the police department to handle its own officers — a responsibility he said the department hasn’t taken seriously enough.
“We have hundreds of great police officers, and we have about a dozen rotten ones,” he said. “We’ve seen too many instances in this city of officer behavior where, if this was the private sector, they’d be fired. And that’s what should happen any time they engage in behavior that’s unbecoming a police officer.”
…”All of this has happened on Chief Bellamy’s watch,” Barber said. “Something has got to change — either the continued behavior of these officers has to change, or their management has to change. And the City Council, through the city manager’s office, is willing to make that change.”
Note who rushes to Bellamy’s defense — council members Goldie Wells and Robbie Perkins who, along with Mayor Yvonne Johnson, make up the council’s PC coalition.
*I couldn’t help but notice that Yes! Weekly was chosen the Triad’s Best local publication, while Jordan Green was chosen Best local journalist. I’m not suggesting Yes! Weekly is skewing the results, but you really wouldn’t expect to see the Rhino and John Hammer on the list, would you?
