THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 10, 1996 TAG: 9603090185
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
The lingering odor of corruption that surrounds the Chesapeake Police Department is not good for the city. Mayor William E. Ward is right about that.
But his response to the situation is as wrong as it can be.
The mayor said Thursday he opposes further investigation of the circumstances surrounding the arrest of the sons of a city councilman and two high-level law-enforcement authorities, a case in which police waited a year to act and in which five officers were disciplined for improprieties.
To continue to ask questions about the matter, he said, ``tends to erode confidence in our system.''
If there was a stench in the mayor's home, would he he close the windows and go about his business? No, he would fling open the shutters and let in fresh air. He would want to know the source of the problem and to remove it.
The mayor said he is concerned about eroding confidence in the system. But nothing will erode confidence more than for the system to continue to suppress the facts.
The mayor says Police Chief Ian Shipley ``gave what I believe to be a credible explanation of his handling of the situation.'' If this is so, he gave it to the mayor in secret. The citizens of Chesapeake have not heard this credible explanation.
All we know for sure is that the sons of high-muck-a-mucks who were suspected of breaking the law were treated differently by the police than the sons of common folk are treated under similar circumstances.
How can there be confidence in the police department until Chief Shipley comes clean about this matter? Don't we all need the assurance that if - God forbid - our own sons should run afoul of the law, they will receive the same consideration from the police as the sons of Councilman John Butt, Sheriff's Capt. John Brickhouse and Police Capt. William L. Spruill?
The mayor and others have made much of the fine record of public service of Chief Shipley and other officers involved. They ``deserve our support and appreciation,'' Mr. Ward said.
To this we would add: They also deserve our trust. And the only way they can have it is for all the facts about this case to be known.
Many years of faithful service to the city simply does not place anyone above the law. Surely, Mayor Ward would not argue that it does.
No one - not the FBI, not the state police, not the police department's internal affairs department, not the City Council and not Mayor Ward - have approached this matter as if they really wanted the truth to be known.
Perhaps a special grand jury will. by CNB