REVIEW CLEARS POLICE CHIEF OF ALLEGATIONS

ST. PETERSBURG - An independent review finds no evidence to back an
officer's claims that Chief Goliath Davis III hindered a narcotics probe.

The allegation by Patrolman Raymond K. Craig was incendiary: St.
Petersburg's first black police chief hamstrung subordinates who were
supposed to look into a claim that a black sergeant was dealing drugs.

Chief Goliath Davis III ordered that the confidential informant who
provided the tip could not be used undercover in the probe of the sergeant,
Donnie Williams, Craig claimed.

And vice and narcotics investigators were limited as to how long they could
keep Williams, 44, under surveillance, Craig, 29, told an independent
investigator. And the only place where they could target Williams was the
bar where he was said to have handed over a package in return for a large
amount of cash.

At least that's the way Craig saw it.

No one else agrees.

Witness after witness debunked Craig's allegations when giving sworn
testimony before Thomas Gonzalez, the lawyer asked by City Administrator
Darrel Stephens to look into the allegations.

Assistant Police Chief Gary Hitchcox, Maj. William Proffitt, a lieutenant,
an acting sergeant and two detectives - including the one in charge of the
case - all rebutted Craig's claims, according to Gonzalez's report,
released Tuesday.

``Mr. Gonzalez has completed his investigation and concluded the
allegations are absolutely without merit,'' Mayor David Fischer said at a
news conference. ``I have read each of the statements myself and completely
agree with that conclusion.''

Davis said: ``I'm very thankful for the mayor's support and very thankful
that this investigation has been concluded. It provides my family with some
sense of relief.''

Despite the evidence in the report, the Pinellas County Police Benevolent
Association continued Tuesday to support Craig, 29.

``It's not all these people arrayed against Ray Craig,'' said PBA Executive
Director Bill Lau Bach. ``Because Ray Craig was told what he was told.''

Lau Bach conceded he relied on Craig's word alone when he asked
Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney Bernie McCabe to look into the matter last week.

The decision not to use the tipster was made by the lead detective, with
his lieutenant's approval, not Davis, the report concludes.

Williams was watched at places other than the bar, contrary to what Craig
said. And a choice not to bring in an outside law enforcement agency was
made by the lead detective, the report states.

Craig was in the vice and narcotics unit at the time the confidential
informant made the allegation against Williams. Craig told Gonzalez he
voiced his concerns about the supposed ``limitations.'' But no one else
remembers his objecting, the report states. The lead detective testified he
was given the same discretion he had in any other case.

Fischer said the PBA, by pursuing Craig's allegations, compromised the very
investigation it alleged Davis was not pursuing in an acceptable manner.

``The unsubstantiated allegation of drug dealing casts a long shadow over a
veteran police officer who has little chance of completely clearing his
name if the allegation is not true,'' he said. ``Nor does the opportunity
to prosecute him exist if there was ever any merit to the allegation.''