From Staff Reports

Asheville’s soon-to-be interim Police Chief Steve Belcher said Dec. 18 that he does not see the Asheville Police Department being in crisis, despite nearly one in four officers having signed a petition saying they had no faith in department leadership.

Belcher, who will come on as Asheville’s interim chief Jan. 20, recently served as interim chief in Bell, Calif., after the former chief there was fired amid a corruption case that ended this year with prison sentences for some elected officials.

Bell was absolutely facing a crisis, Belcher said.

“It’s very different,” he told local news media, referring to Asheville’s situation.

Belcher will temporarily replace former Chief William Anderson, who retired in December following the presentation of the officers’ petition. The state Department of Justice also started a standards inquiry at the department and is looking into an internal affairs review being conducted by city police.

Belcher will be paid the equivalent of an annual salary of $145,486. He will likely get half of that because his employment should last six months, according to his contract. He will also get $3,400 in relocation expenses, $1,000 a month for housing and use of a city vehicle.

He said in general he would be “aiming the ship in the right direction.

“There are expectations of the community, of political leaders, of employees and the media itself,” Belcher said. “You have to make sure you have a good understanding of those expections and make sure to meld those together, so there is a smooth transition for the person who is going to take over.”

Deputy Chief Wade Wood will lead the department until Belcher starts Jan. 19.

Belcher will run the department while the city searches nationally for a replacement for Anderson, whose last day at the office was Dec. 12. His last official day with the city was Dec. 31. 

The city has agreed to pay Anderson $35,000 in exchange for his promise not to sue under labor laws or say anything negative about the city.

Belcher has 40 years in law enforcement, the city said. He has served as interim chief in three California cities, in addition to Bell.

“Interim Chief Belcher brings the depth and breadth of experience needed to lead the department forward,” City Manager Gary Jackson said.

“He has a proven track record of building support for immediate, positive change.”

Jackson said he wants the new permanent chief on the job by June.

In addition, city Fire Chief Scott Burnette has been put in charge of an APD overhaul.

Meanwhile, Belcher said in a statement issued by the city, “As a chief and an interim chief, my approach and philosophy is fairly simple. Treat people decently, listen to what they have to say, formulate a plan and receive buy-in, be clear on expectations and hold people accountable.”

Belcher will lead the daily operations of the department and work with Matrix Consulting Group on an assessment of the APD, the city said.

The city is conferring with the consultant for help amid problems in the department.

In other APD-related matters:

• Regarding the state Department of Justice standards inquiry, its staff wants to review the findings of the city audit into radar and officer certifications, spokeswoman Noelle Talley said.

• The Asheville Citizen-Times is asking a judge to order police to make public dozens of video recordings of political gatherings and demonstrations, according to a lawsuit filed Dec. 8. The newspaper, in the lawsuit, said keeping the recordings secret will have a “chilling effect” on the First Amendment right of the public to demonstrate.

The lawsuit alleges the videos — made since 1980 — are covered by North Carolina’s public records law. Police are not using the records as part of ongoing criminal investigations, according to the lawsuit.

Among those recorded on video were a Halloween Witch Rite, according to two prominent Wiccans.

Steve Rasmussen, whose Craft name is Diuvei, and Dixie Deerman, whose Craft named is Lady Passion, said a police officer, who was uncomfortable with the APD’s policy of recording public gatherings, smuggled the 18-year-old video out of the department.

It is one of about 100 recordings the APD keeps in an archive dating back to KKK rallies in 1980.

The Wiccans said they obtained the recording sometime before 2008. They decided to make it public after the AC-T sued the city, to call attention to the practice.

The video, released Dec. 18, shows a public gathering that includes a Wiccan ceremony. The person recording the event can be heard telling someone at the gathering that he works for the police department.

• Various meetings between the police, faith leaders and others in the local community have been held in a quest to open up communications.

About 30 people attended a Dec. 16 meeting at Hill Street Baptist Church to hear a panel of 12 that included city officials and community activists. Panel members responded to questions prepared by the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Asheville and Buncome County. 

Also, a “Have Coffee With a Cop” community issues forum is scheduled at 8 a.m. Jan 24 at Bojangles restaurant at 99 Merrimon Ave. in North Asheville.