ABC 33/40 - Birmingham News, Weather, SportsNorthport's police chief on leave; audit ordered

    Northport's Police Chief is on paid leave for the second time in less than three years.   City council made the move Monday night regarding Chief Robert Green.  Members also unanimously ordered an audit into the operations of the Northport Police Department.

    A source tells ABC 33/40 that the audit and the chief's leave are related but not directly and would not comment beyond that.

    We're also told the situation has "absolutely" nothing to do with a pending discrimination suit Chief Green has against the city.  The case is set for trial next January.

    Green was suspended for 5 days without pay in 2009 after a dispute with his assistant chief at the time.  Then, during the same year there was heated disagreement between Green and city administrator Scott Collins over a BMW Green was driving.  The BMW had been seized during a raid.

     Those disputes culminated in Green filing an EEOC complaint and then the Federal Discrimination lawsuit.

     Mayor Bobby Herndon tells ABC 33/40 that the counsel simply wanted to take a look at personnel issues within the police department but he could not elaborate.

     At their next meeting, March 5th, the council is expected to vote on hiring an outside agency to conduct the audit or investigation.  We're told Chief Green will remain on leave until it is completed.

     Mayor Herndon says he anticipates Green will return to work and "we'll have an even stronger police force," he said.