Kinston/Jones Free Press (kfp)
A bill filed last month in the North Carolina Legislature that would allow the public greater access to the personnel files of state and local government employees including teachers, law enforcement and city and county workers moved one step closer to passage this week.
Senate Bill 355, which would grant public access to information concerning terminations, suspensions and other disciplinary actions, passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on April 27 and now heads to the Rules Committee.
If approved by the General Assembly, SB 355 will become effective Dec. 1, 2021 and will directly affect local stories covered by The Free Press involving law enforcement, the school system, and local government personnel.
A bill filed last month in the North Carolina Legislature that would allow the public greater access to the personnel files of state and local government employees including teachers, law enforcement and city and county workers moved one step closer to passage this week.
Senate Bill 355, which would grant public access to information concerning terminations, suspensions and other disciplinary actions, passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on April 27 and now heads to the Rules Committee.
SB 355 applies to each department, agency, institution, commission and bureau of the state, including board of trustees, board of education, county employees, city employees, and authority employees as well as the University of North Carolina System.
Kinston/Jones Free Press (kfp)
Kinston Mayor Dontario Hardy posted a video update Friday afternoon on the investigation into the use of force used by two police officers Monday afternoon.
The investigation continues and footage of the encounter that led to officers Kevin Page and McKinley Jones using open fist strikes on 36-year-old David Lee Bruton Jr. at the conclusion of a foot chase.
Kinston/Jones Free Press (kfp)
The arrest of David Lee Bruton Jr., 36, was publicized by a Facebook video posted by a passenger in a car at the corner of West Vernon Avenue and Queen Street. The video appears to show Kinston Police Department officers punching Bruton after a foot chase.
Here s what we know so far about what happened and when.
- Monday, April 12 at 6:38 p.m. Kinston police respond to the Little Caesars Pizza at 111 W. Vernon Ave. in downtown Kinston after the panic alarm is triggered by a 38-year-old woman who works at the restaurant. According to witnesses, a man threatened one of the employees and walked away when officers arrived.
The two Kinston police officers who were captured on a private citizen s video restraining and striking a suspect multiple times Monday evening have no prior disciplinary actions taken against them.
After obtaining the officer s personnel files from Kinston Police Chief Tim Dilday Thursday afternoon, nearly 48 hours after the initial request, the records show that Officer McKinley Jones and Officer Kevin Page, both 22, have not received a dismissal, suspension, or demotion for disciplinary reasons taken by the city before Monday night.
Dilday explained the department offers what is called CIT training and that one of the two officers involved in the incident has participated in the training, the other has not. Dilday declined to comment on which officer had received the CIT training, citing North Carolina General Statute 160A-168 regarding releasable personnel information.