The following is a summary of an interview Jan. 23, 2008, by The Citizen’s John Munford with Peachtree City Manager Bernard McMullen about the events surrounding the resignation of Chief James Murray.

REPORTER: The Bergh investigation was what triggered the review of Murray’s computer?

CITY MANAGER BERNARD MCMULLEN: “Yes.”

McMullen said that the city’s Information Technologies department had installed software on many city-owned computers to record every keystroke made on those computers. The keystroke logs were archived and randomly checked. Keylogging was on most city computers and now is on all computers, including the city manager’s. The switch to having keylogging on all computers was made after this investigation.

No other employee at the city during his tenure here, to his knowledge, has been reprimanded/counseled or otherwise been addressed for violating the city’s policy in such a manner with illicit chat.

McMullen said he’s not sure if the keylogging can be turned on or off. He said to ask Matt (Robinson, the city’s chief Information Technologies guy)

McMullen said there were no major disagreements with Murray on PD operations between either himself or City Council.

The reporter asked McMullen about the chief saying in 2006 budget process (a date that correlates with Rick Lindsey’s statement saying that’s how long they’d been working on the chief’s retirement).

MCMULLEN: “The chief ran a good department and the chief and I have always been on the same page in terms of what what’s being done in terms of law enforcement. I believe in having a good, strong police department. Recently we have been working to add to the amount of staffing (at the PD) and upgrading technology so we can better utilize our people.”

McMullen also said the only major issue the department has had is dealing with the problems at the building.

When asked why Murray retired and what led up to it, McMullen said: “You’ll have to talk to him on that.” McMullen also indicated the chief was nearing retirement age.

The reporter received a “no comment” answer to the following questions:

• Whether Murray has indicated he was considering filing a lawsuit on the matter.

• Whether Murray was verbally counseled, reprimanded or otherwise had action taken against him for the sexually explicit chats on a city-owned computer.

• All details of what took place with the sheriff’s deputies at City Hall, including:

— what transpired during the meeting;

— whether the chief surrendered his weapon (or was asked to) and how such transpired;

— what was communicated at that meeting between the parties;

— why the deputy was asked to come to City Hall;

— when the deputy went in and out of the city manager’s office and why;

— and whether it’s standard procedure for the chief to be asked to come into City Hall unarmed on previous occasions;

— whether it would have been common to reprimand, write, suspend (with or without pay) or otherwise take action against any other employee deemed to have violated the city’s policy in such a way;

— whether Murray ever admitted the illicit chat conversations were his;

— what Murray’s explanation for the chats were;

— whether they had to do with an outstanding police investigation;

— whether there are any other city documents that might shed light on the issue.

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