Nov. 08--Up to 200,000 rounds of ammunition are missing from the Memphis Police Department Training Academy's Firearms Training Unit, and officials want to know what happened to the ammo.
"Yes, I am aware that something of that nature is being looked into," said Mayor A C Wharton, who declined to offer more specifics, citing the ongoing investigation.
City auditor Leon Pattman's investigation of the missing ammunition is part of an in-depth audit of MPD's Organized Crime Unit. The audit was requested by Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong shortly after he took over in April for the retired Larry Godwin.
Godwin, who now works in Nashville as deputy director of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, said investigators have asked him about the missing ammunition.
When Godwin was MPD director, Organized Crime reported directly to him. Godwin said he would have been required to approve any requests from OCU officers who wanted ammunition for training purposes, but that he would not know how the ammunition was used.
"If they were at a school where they were receiving specialized training, you might do off-site (training). The only reason (officers) can be issued ammunition is for training or schools," the former director said.
"I might approve the concept of something, but I don't see it after that," Godwin said. "If it has to do with schools or training, it's being approved, but the director doesn't see every detail of every single unit."
Godwin said he met with Memphis auditors in Nashville to answer questions and that he sent a letter to Pattman last week answering more questions. He declined to give a copy of his letter to a reporter.
"I think it would be inappropriate to be released before the audit is released," said Godwin.
"I have answered their questions and I feel confident about my answers," he said. "I would be shocked if my commanders in OCU would do anything to embarrass the city, the mayor or the citizens of Memphis."
One aspect of Pattman's OCU audit involves a company called Investigative Techniques Unlimited. Last month, The Commercial Appeal obtained an opinion issued by the city's chief ethics officer, Monika Johnson, which said some officers involved with the company may have violated city ethics rules.
Former MPD Sgt. Paul Sherman, who coordinated OCU's undercover program, created Investigative Techniques with other MPD officers to train police for undercover work. Sherman took an employment disability retirement from the city last week.
Larry Godwin's son, Anthony Godwin, served as an instructor for ITU. The registered agent for the company is former MPD colonel Jeff Clark, who is also the company's president and CEO. Clark was forced to retire shortly after Armstrong took over as police director.
Johnson, the city's ethics officer, said in her opinion that Sherman and other MPD officers involved with the company used their positions "for private gain." The ethics inquiry was requested by city auditor Pattman.
Officers in MPD's Organized Crime Unit generally receive specialized training from the Regional Counterdrug Training Academy in Meridian, Miss., which is sponsored and funded by the U.S. Department of Defense.
According to Johnson's opinion, the RCTA entered into an agreement with ITU to provide some of the training for a fee.
"The OCU officers who also work for ITU are being compensated by ITU for teaching RCTA courses that city employees attend," said Johnson's opinion. "Accordingly, it appears that these OCU officers are, in fact, obtaining a financial benefit by virtue of RCTA's relationship with the city."
Johnson's report said ITU representatives had received permission from the city to work for the company, but she said the OCU officers employed by ITU "should either terminate their employment with ITU or take appropriate measures to ensure that ITU will not teach courses attended by city employees."
-- Amos Maki: (901) 529-2351
Copyright 2011 - The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn.
