Update: City Council voted unanimously to release the personnel records from the three officers. However, an attorney representing the officers has filed an injunction to block the release of those records. A judge is expected to rule on the injunction motion by 3 p.m. — the city’s HR department is not releasing information prior to that.
WILMINGTON — Terminations proceedings are underway for three officers with the Wilmington Police Department after they were apparently recorded by a police vehicle’s camera making racist and racially charged comments.
According to several sources, including members of city council, three white officers are facing termination this week. Port City Daily has requested the employment history and termination letters for James ‘Brian’ Gilmore, Jesse E. Moore II, and Michael ‘Kevin’ Piner; WPD’s legal counsel is currently processing that request. WPD did not deny that the officers had been fired.
WPD could not confirm or deny multiple accounts received by Port City Daily that the recorded conversation included racial slurs and threats, including against now-Chief Donny Williams.
City Councilman Kevin Spears said that he and his fellow council members were informed of the incident and the firings on Tuesday during council’s close session meeting. Spears didn’t go into detail, but acknowledged the incident was disturbing and said that Chief Williams “did the right thing.”
Spears confirmed that City Council would address the issue on Wednesday afternoon and a press conference has been scheduled after Council’s meeting. Spears noted that the council and WPD both wanted to be as transparent as legally possible about the incident and the decision to fire the officers.
Editor’s note: This is a developing story. Official announcements from both WPD and the City of Wilmington are expected this afternoon.
