
DATE: Wednesday, September 10, 1997         TAG: 9709100555

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B6   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY LEWIS KRAUSKOPF, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE                        LENGTH:   79 lines

CHESAPEAKE MAYOR GIVES APOLOGY TO POLICE FOR REMARKS ON SHOOTING

Saying that he ``may have sent the wrong signal'' for questioning police action, Mayor William E. Ward apologized Tuesday night for his comments about an investigation into the shooting of a Fernwood Shores woman last month.

Responding to concerns from neighborhood residents, Ward - a former resident of Fernwood Shores - had vowed at the City Council's Aug. 26 meeting that no cover-up would take place, and he called for council oversight of the investigation.

``In no way did I seek to undermine the investigative operations of the police department,'' Ward said about his previous statements. ``Nor did I mean to imply a lack of confidence in the city's police. To do so would have been counterproductive.''

The mayor's prepared statement followed 14 minutes of speeches by members of the Fraternal Order of Police, who expressed anger at the doubts cast on the police.

``Members of City Council particularly should not encourage the lynch-mob mentality or allow possible political motivations to override objective thinking in situations such as this,'' Garth L. Wheeler, president of the Virginia FOP, said. ``Although you weren't there, you have the opportunity to Monday morning quarterback the police officers' actions.''

The shooting occurred Aug. 22 when Carlett Karim, 26, of the 200 block of Shore Side Drive, refused to drop a steak knife she was carrying after cutting two officers on their arms, police reports said. According to the reports, Karim, who was also carrying a bowling pin, was shot twice.

Karim left the hospital Monday and was arrested on two charges of malicious wounding and one count of attempted malicious wounding. She posted $10,000 bond and was released from the Chesapeake Jail on Monday afternoon.

She is to be arraigned Thursday morning, according to the General District Court.

Wheeler said a lack of government and civic support could mean a hesitant police force.

``If every time an officer draws his firearm it brings about hysteria and accusations of overreaction or racism, then . . . instead of meeting here in City Council chambers, we will be meeting at a police officer's or even an innocent citizen's funeral,'' Wheeler said.

After the mayor spoke, law-enforcement officers and their families, who made up most of Tuesday night's crowd, rose and applauded. Council members returned the gesture with applause of their own for the officers.

Gene A. Moore, president of the Fernwood Shores civic league, wouldn't comment on Tuesday night's proceedings, saying he didn't want to second-guess the investigation.

Earlier Tuesday, the president of the local NAACP said the organization is meeting with the FBI later this month to discuss a separate investigation into the shooting.

The NAACP raised concerns last week about the incident, saying that it would not be satisfied with an investigation done by city officials.

``The city of Chesapeake is too great a city to have a cloud over their heads like this,'' NAACP branch president March Cromuel said.

FBI policy dictates that it not comment on whether an investigation is taking place, said bureau spokesman Bo McFarland. McFarland did say that if the FBI were to have jurisdiction on the case, it would have to be a civil rights investigation.

Commonwealth's Attorney Larry D. Willis said Tuesday that he hoped to conclude his investigation within the week.

The mayor met with members of the FOP Monday night at the mayor's request, Officer Michael A. Rushak, president of the local chapter of the FOP, said.

The mayor told the officers ``he would clear the air'' at Tuesday's meeting, Rushak said.

Afterwards, Rushak said he was pleased with the mayor's comments.

``We went into last night's meeting . . . unsure on where we stood,'' Rushak said. ``Now it's clear. It's clear to everybody.''

ILLUSTRATION: Members of the local Fraternal Order of Police and

their supporters stand after their leaders address the Chesapeake

City Council meeting Tuesday evening. Mayor Ward said the

investigation of the police shooting of a knife-wielding woman must

go on.

MARTIN

SMITH-RODDEN

The Virginian-Pilot KEYWORDS: CHESAPEAKE CITY COUNCIL