Former Wichita Police Chief Williams was on credibility-issues list, documents show

Norman Williams, who retired last Friday as chief of the state’s largest police department, was on a list of police personnel who could have credibility issues should they be called to testify in criminal cases, according to information the city has released.

Although Williams is not specifically listed by his name or rank in information the city provided, The Eagle was able to deduce that he was on the so-called Brady-Giglio list by comparing detailed summaries and staffing lists the city gave before and after his last official day as a Wichita police employee. His retirement began Saturday.

“Brady-Giglio” refers to case law requiring prosecutors to disclose certain information that might help the defense or might be used to challenge the credibility of witnesses during a trial. That disclosure could include past conduct by law enforcement officers who are involved in an investigation that goes to trial. Among the conduct that has to be disclosed are criminal convictions and official findings of dishonesty.

Williams appears to have been placed on the list for filing a false report, according to information the city provided. It is not clear when the incident occurred. Officers can be placed on the list for actions that occurred decades ago.

Under the current departmental policy, a false report results in a firing, police Capt. Doug Nolte confirmed Thursday afternoon.

The city has refused to release details about which officers are on the list and why, saying the city thinks it is prohibited by law from releasing the personnel history of individual officers.

Williams, who had been police chief for more than 14 years and who has been the subject of speculation over whether he would run for Wichita mayor, couldn’t be reached for comment. The Eagle has tried repeatedly to reach him.

City Manager Robert Layton said Thursday that he couldn’t comment on whether Williams was among the police personnel who have disclosure information. Layton said he has been advised that it is a confidential personnel matter.

“The chief was not forced into retirement,” Layton said. “He voluntarily retired.”

At Thursday’s regular police briefing for the media at City Hall,

the Police Department distributed to other media the documents that The Eagle had used to determine that Williams was on the list.

This is the information upon which The Eagle based its conclusion:

In a summary a city attorney provided The Eagle on Aug. 21, in response to a request under the Kansas Open Records Act, the city gave a breakdown of police employees with “disclosure information in their history.”

It comprised 26 commissioned and non-commissioned police employees: 15 in field services, six in support service and five in investigations. The summary also said the employees’ histories comprised 10 misdemeanor convictions, two felony convictions, seven cases of giving “false information/depart from the truth” and seven false reports.

A summary dated Sept. 4, last Thursday – the day before Williams’ final day as a police employee – gave the identical information.

In a summary dated Sept. 6, the day after Williams’ last day, the city gave the newspaper another summary upon request. That summary lists one fewer employee in the support service category and one fewer false report in the employee histories.

Last month, at a news conference on Brady-Giglio issues, Deputy Police Chief John Speer confirmed that the police chief is part of the support service division.

Finally, according to employee rosters the city provided Wednesday evening, Williams was the only person in support service who left the department between Sept. 4 and Sept. 6.

Local reporters have been seeking the full list of police employees on the Brady-Giglio list. Deputy City Attorney Jay Hinkle wrote in an Aug. 21 letter to The Eagle: “Previously, the City has denied blanket requests for the ‘Giglio list’ and ‘Giglio material of officers.’ The City does not maintain a list of Giglio officers.”

On Aug. 14, Williams announced his retirement, saying: “It’s been a great journey, it’s been a great opportunity. At the end of the day, I’m tired. I’m tired, but I’m leaving with joy in my heart and peace in my mind.”

Deputy Police Chief Nelson Mosley praised Williams for his leadership in the department’s solving of the BTK serial-killer homicides and the first federal racketeering investigation in state history targeting the Neighborhood Crips gang.

During Williams’ time as chief, the department received national recognition for its investigative and community policing work. Community policing involves residents and police working together to prevent and solve crime.

Williams twice was wounded in the line of duty – in 1977 and 1980 – and still has three bullets lodged in his body.

The city is searching for a new police chief. The chief manages a department with a budget of almost $80 million and supervises about 840 employees.

This story was originally published September 11, 2014 at 9:55 AM with the headline "Former Wichita Police Chief Williams was on credibility-issues list, documents show."