DETECTIVES RESIGN FOLLOWING COMPLAINT

SBI Probes Assault Allegation

GARNER - Three undercover drug detectives with the Wake County
Sheriff's Office resigned Wednesday following accusations that they
assaulted a Garner man last month in a restaurant parking lot.

Katie Broda, Kevin Hinton and Christopher Roth all submitted their
resignations Wednesday, Sheriff Donnie Harrison said at a news conference.

The trio had been on desk duty since Aug. 26, when Robert D. Wise said
he was attacked by the detectives after they took issue with his
family car being parked in two spots outside an Applebee's restaurant
on U.S. 70.

"I will not tolerate any unprofessional behavior in this office,"
Harrison said. He apologized to Wise and his family.

He said that the three would have been fired if they hadn't resigned.
Harrison would not comment at length, citing the ongoing probe into
possible criminal charges by agents with the State Bureau of
Investigation.

None of the former detectives could be reached for comment Wednesday
evening.

District Attorney Colon Willoughby said he expects to see the SBI
report on the incident within two weeks.

Until he sees the report, Willoughby won't make any decisions about
the incident or whether he will proceed on the assault charges filed
against Wise by the detectives. The resignations were independent of
the SBI probe, he said.

Wise was with his wife, Cynthia, at the Applebee's the evening of Aug.
26 when the detectives, undercover drug investigators who stopped to
eat, approached the couple. Cynthia Wise called 911 dispatchers and
told them that the group was banging on their car door and got into a
physical struggle with her husband while trying to arrest him.

Robert Wise was cited on three counts of assault on a law enforcement
officer and one count of resisting a law enforcement officer. He went
to the hospital for treatment of his injuries after the fight.

"Justice will be served when they're in jail," Wise said in a brief
interview Wednesday at his home.

Wise said his injuries included a sprained knee, several bruised ribs,
two cuts on his head and a blow to his nose. He declined to comment
further about the incident.

Roth's resignation was made effective immediately while Broda and
Hinton's will take effect Friday.

Harrison said he knew of no prior complaints against the three.

"We're human beings; we make mistakes," he said.

Broda had been with the sheriff's office for five years and had an
annual salary of $35,059. Hinton was a seven-year veteran of the
office and earned $41,445 annually, said Phyllis Stephens, spokeswoman
for the sheriff's office. Roth made $40,976 and had seven years of
employment with Wake County.