The abortive traffic stop of Mayor Reed's brother has finally produced a casualty in the police department, at least for fifteen days. The commander of Zone 4, Major Rodney Bryant, was found to have personally intervened in the traffic stop and pardoned Tracy Reed, despite his license having expired six years before and the existence of a warrant for his arrest. It was the second time he had rescued Tracy in such a way.
I haven't let this burst of nepotism alone bother me more than it should, but in the first Journal-Constitution article I linked to, the Mayor is quoted as insisting that he didn't request his older brother's special treatment. I, personally, can't fathom another reason for Maj. Bryant to go to such inane lengths to shield Tracy Reed from, of all things, the law. Why would Bryant even fear punishment if such favorable treatment contradicted the Mayor's will, or worse, his orders? Has Mayor Reed been caught in a lie?
Ostensibly, to atone for such blatant favoritism, the city has toughened it's vehicle use policy somewhat. This is only prudent; perhaps there linger yet more city employees who have been abusing a portion of the 4,673 city-issued vehicles. There's no implication, of course, that this will foil the undue generosity of a Mayor who appears to value his friends and family over the integrity demanded of his title.
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