The former public safety director for North Myrtle Beach wants his old job back, and Monday told his side of the story about the incident that led to his demotion.
William Bailey appeared before a city grievance committee to tell what he says happened when his service weapon was stolen from his truck.
Initially the city didn't want to allow any cameras in. But this was a public hearing and after all three local news stations protested, we came to a compromise.
One camera was allowed in to provide pool coverage for all of us.
As the hearing itself, it largely came down to a dispute over wording: was the gun secured or was it locked?
On December 21st, William Bailey's city-owned service weapon was stolen from his pickup that was parked at his home. City officials say Bailey told them the weapon had been locked in the vehicle's glove box, so the city sent out a press release to the media saying just that.
At the grievance hearing, several different city officials said Bailey approved of that wording. "I asked him twice to make sure that he agreed with the wording where he was quoted in the news release. He did read it. He said it was fine," said John Smithson, NMB City Manager. "Mr. Bailey talked about the gun being secure and also said the glove box was locked," said NMB Public Information Director Nicole Aiello during the hearing.
But the glove box doesn't have a lock. That became clear when the assistant city manager looked at the truck's glove box and confronted Bailey about it. "I said, William. I said, this glove box has no lock. And at that point, he started to tear up a little bit," said Steve Thomas.
Bailey claims he wanted to use the word secured in the press release and felt pressured by the city's public information officer to approve the word locked. "Her response to me was locked is a stronger word. My response back to her was, but secured protects me, secured fits my situation better," said Bailey.
Bailey says he sent Aiello an e-mail from his cell phone with better wording and claims that e-mail has mysteriously disappeared. City Manager John Smithson eventually demoted Bailey to lieutenant for lying about the incident.
Bailey says that was just a move to scapegoat him, to protect city officials who were being attacked by the media. "Somebody needed to be the fall guy. Somebody needed to be punished. Somebody needed to be held accountable."
Smithson insists Bailey was demoted solely for not telling the truth. "Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Bailey lied and that's all I'm going to say."
The grievance committee, made up of city employees, now has 20 days to make a recommendation.
The final decision about Bailey's fate is still up to Smithson.
Bailey has been with the city's public safety department for twenty years.
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