THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, March 13, 1996 TAG: 9603130518
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: By MAC DANIEL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
Mayor William E. Ward on Tuesday declared the council's inquiry into the Chesapeake Police Department officially over.
``I am hoping,'' said Ward, ``that the issue is behind us as far as council is concerned.''
None of the other eight members of the council voiced any protest about the mayor's statement, made before an audience crammed with police department supporters.
Later, for the first time in a month, the council went into an executive session that was not called to discuss the police department.
A sea of off-duty police officers and brown-shirted sheriff's deputies filled council chambers to capacity to voice their support for the department.
An estimated 300 people attended the meeting, some wearing handmade stickers reading ``We Love Our Police Department.''
Four speakers - including two police officers - talked about the council's recent inquiries into the actions of the department. Three blasted the media, city staff and unnamed members of city council.
Ronnie Young, a Chesapeake homicide detective and president of the local Fraternal Order of Police lodge, described the investigation as ``a political witch hunt to make headlines and ruin our reputation as law enforcement officers.''
Young said his organization helped bring out the crowd Tuesday to support Police Chief Ian M. Shipley Jr.
Robert G. Jackson, a retired electrical engineer who lives in the 3200 block of Pioneer Lane, was the only speaker who asked the council to continue its inquiry.
``Until this cloud of uncertainty is removed,'' he said, ``it will only fester and grow. Let's do something.''
It has been almost a month since the council began to ask questions about the police department's handling of cases involving the sons of three prominent Chesapeake city officials - a longtime city councilman, a sheriff's captain and a police captain.
William Lawrence Spruill Jr., the 23-year-old son of police Capt. William L. Spruill, was indicted in November and charged with breaking and entering and grand larceny in the theft of an all-terrain vehicle from the home of Chesapeake Vice Mayor Robert T. Nance Jr.
In a separate case, Alan Keith Butt, 27, son of veteran Councilman John W. Butt, and William Jeremy Brickhouse, 20, son of Sheriff's Capt. William Brickhouse, are charged with receiving stolen property allegedly taken from Givens Honda in 1994.
The police department's internal investigation began after Vice Mayor Nance complained to Chief Shipley about delays in investigating the theft of his ATV.
The probe lasted two months and generated a 1,500-page report and reprimands to five officers, including Capt. Spruill.
But the council was not satisfied with Shipley's report to them on the matter and asked the Virginia State Police to investigate. The state police declined, saying the matter was administrative, not criminal.
The council then explored a special grand jury, but Chesapeake Circuit Court Chief Judge Russell I. Townsend Jr. last week said he saw no basis for impaneling one.
KEYWORDS: CHESAPEAKE POLICE DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATION by CNB