Page 1 - WEST FOP BlueNote 2017 Jan Feb Issue

Fraternal Order of Police

BlueNote
Official Publication of the North Carolina State Lodge

Volume 3, Issue 25 www.ncfop.org January/February 2017

FOP Files Amicus Brief in Support of Agent Inside This Issue
Christy Brewington in Important Appellate Case
Raising Juvenile
By Terry Mangum – Legal Aid Committee Chairman Age Likely Issue in
Next Session 2
The State Lodge became aware of an interesting case working its way up through the
judicial system. It involves SBI Agent Christy Brewington from the Fayetteville Directory 4
area. Because of the legal issues involved, the State Lodge decided to weigh in on the case
at the North Carolina Court of Appeals. An amicus brief was filed by the FOP in support Chaplain’s Corner
of Agent Brewington. NCFOP Chaplain,
Phil Wiggins. 4
Agent Brewington was a seventeen year Special Agent with the N.C. State Bureau of
Investigation. She went to lunch one day with a very young Pharmacy Board Investigator. NC FOP Foundation 4
Eight months later, the pharmacy investigator told an SBI Agent, with whom she was
socializing, that Brewington may have consumed alcohol at lunch months ago. That agent BlueNote Info &
of course was bound to report it, and an internal investigation followed. Deadlines for 2017 6

The accuser had three different scenarios of when the lunch meeting occurred. The Trivia! 6
basis of the allegation was that Agent Brewington “may have” consumed alcohol on duty.
When the accuser was asked if she observed what Brewington drank while they were Consider an Auxil-
having lunch, she stated: “she got what appeared to be a cocktail. It was pink in stemmed
bowl - type glass - - goblet style.” iary Lodge 8

The accuser did not then report her observations that she believed that Brewington Focusing on Our
may have consumed alcohol to anyone soon after it allegedly occurred. Nor did she
confront Brewington about it then. Members and

The accuser contended that she saw the pinkish fluid in Brewington’s glass and that Profession 8
she assumed it was alcohol. Her statement and testimony was admittedly based on her
assumption. Brewington had consumed a pink beverage that day; it was a mixture of fruit Find the Money 10
juices. It was the same drink that she usually had there, called a “sprite delight.” The
waitress provided a written statement that no alcohol was served to Brewington that day. A Law Enforcement
The waitress that served it gave a statement indicating that the beverage served to
Brewington was her usual non-alcoholic beverage. The fruit juices gave it the pink color. Christmas- Cops
Brewington invited a friend to stop in and join them for lunch. The friend in fact consumed
several drinks. and Kids 10

Agent Brewington and the waitress and friend stated that she was not served alcohol Blue Winter 12
and did not drink alcohol. The accuser’s assumption – made some eight months later –
and without detail led to Agent Brewington’s termination. Greetings from 16
Immediate Past
Agent Brewington began the grievance process. As a state employee, she had due President, Terry
process rights. Unlike deputy sheriffs who have virtually no rights, she had the right to a Mangum
hearing. She submitted notice that she wanted to call two eyewitnesses, the waitress who
served the beverage and the friend who showed up and drank alcohol. An Update from
Grand Lodge 18
Continued on P. 2
Police Use Force:
The Voice of Law Enforcement
The FOP will defend

our rights. 20

Local Lodge 22