Police Department

City of Greensboro

September 7, 2010

TO: City Manager, Rashad Young

FROM: Captain C.E. Cherry, Commanding Officer, Patrol Bureau, Eastern Division

SUBJECT: Continued Discrimination, Retaliation, Harassment, Unfair

Treatment, and Hostile Work Environment of Officer M.D.
Royal

On or about August 9, 2010, Officer M.D. Royal was suspended without pay by then Interim
Chief D.K. Crotts. This suspension is based upon Officer Royal supposedly being untruthful
during a polygraph test.

On August 27, 2010, Officer R. Reyes, who had also been suspended without pay, had a General
Board of Inquiry. Officer Reyes had been charged with a possible violation of Greensboro Police
Department Directive 1.5.3, Truthfulness.

Officer Reyes was reinstated on August 30, 2010. Officer Reyes was cleared of the allegation of
Truthfulness against him. Information in Officer Reyes’ General Board of Inquiry, in addition to
Officer Reyes’ reinstatement, clearly shows that Officer Royal should have been reinstated on
August 30, 2010, along with Officer Reyes. That information is as follows:

• Officer D.A. Pinson was found to be unequivocally lying during Officer Reyes’ General
Board of Inquiry. The subsequent investigation of Officer Pinson that newly appointed
Chief Miller should order, resulting in Officer Pinson’s termination, will also confirm
information found in Officer Reyes’ General Board of Inquiry.
• The fact that Officer Pinson was found to be unequivocally lying clearly confirms
Officer Reyes and Officer Royal were being truthful.
• The polygraph given to Officer Royal was in violation of a number City Policies,
Departmental Directives and Departmental Policies, procedurally, morally and ethically.
The polygraph was discriminatory, retaliatory, harassing, intimidating, hostile and unfair.
Corporal Oligmueller and Sergeant Isom did the following:

Called Officer Royal a “LYNCHMAN”

Threatened Officer Royal’s job
Called Officer Royal a lie approximately twenty (20) times
Asked Officer Royal the same question approximately thirty three (33) times
Subjected Officer Royal to a “Gestapo Style” approximately six (6) hour interrogation

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Lied to Officer Royal in an attempt to get Officer Royal to change his statement
Gave Officer Pinson a polygraph, knowing that Officer Pinson had taken medication
approximately an hour before the test because Officer Pinson was feeling anxious

• After newly appointed Chief Miller views Officer Royal’s polygraph recording and
investigates all supervisory personnel (especially Assistant Chief Crotts) involved with
this mistreatment of Officer Royal, proper action should be taken.

Mr. Young, please understand that on September 1, 2010, Chief Miller was officially installed. It
is now September 7, 2010. Officer Royal should have been reinstated relating to his unwarranted
suspension at least on August 30, 2010.

You ignored my warning to not bring in a new Chief of Police until these discriminatory,
retaliatory, harassing, intimidating, unfair practices were properly investigated and redressed.
Chief Miller, has now become complicit in these matters as of September 1, 2010. I spoke to
Officer Royal on September 7, 2010, at approximately 1:00pm. Officer Royal informed me that
he had not yet been reinstated. Please have Chief Miller immediately reinstate Officer Royal by
5:00pm on Wednesday September 8, 2010. Please have his full back pay check available as
Officer Royal has a two (2) month old child.

It is my belief that Assistant Chief Crotts understands the dilemma of reinstating Officer Royal
without a General Board of Inquiry, after Officer Royal has been suspended over two (2) weeks
without pay. The diabolically sinister Assistant Chief Crotts will soon place newly appointed
Chief Miller in an untenable situation if you do not address these and other matters immediately.

Please consider the following:

• Halt all investigations, etc. relating to the grievances/complaints.

• Contact the Department of Justice and request an investigative team to investigate the
City of Greensboro, with the primary focus being the Police Department. Turn over all
relevant materials to the DOJ. Get an estimated time table relating to the investigation.
• Have the DOJ also depose the City Council and Mayor.
• Make a public statement, relating to the DOJ, when the investigation will begin and
anticipated length. Commit to a two week update relating to the investigation.
• Make any internal adjustments to ensure the best possible city services during this
challenging time. Think outside the box. This may even involve a temporary operational
merger with other Law Enforcement Agencies (example Sheriff’s Department).
• Once the investigation is concluded, make swift, fair, consistent, compassionate decisions
as it relates to personnel. That can range from counseling to termination. This will be
tough, but make it about right and wrong which will umbrella all other relevant factors.
• Admit any mistakes made to include even if you made any.
• Make any public apologies warranted.
• Understand that your continued failure to act may have implicated you to a point of no
return.
• Truly give Chief Miller an opportunity to succeed.

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 • Direct Chief Miller to view the INHUMANE video recording of Officer Royal’s
polygraph and investigate all individuals involved to include ultimately, the
diabolically sinister Assistant Chief Crotts.

Charles E. Cherry, Captain

Greensboro Police Department
Patrol Bureau, Eastern Division