FIRST ON 3: SBI, Attorney General investigating Leland Police Department

LELAND, NC (WWAY) — The North Carolina Department of Justice confirms there is an active investigation into criminal allegations made against the Leland Police Department. DOJ spokeswoman Noelle Talley says the SBI opened the investigation November 1.

In early October, Leland Town Council directed Police Chief Tim Jayne to send a letter to the SBI requesting its assistance looking “into all allegations of criminal conduct by the Leland Police Department.”

Talley says the SBI investigation is a result of that request. She also says the investigation is being supervised by the Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Unit. That request, she says, came from District Attorney Jon David “to oversee that investigation and serve as prosecutor for any charges that may result.”

In late September David told WWAY he asked the Attorney General to appoint another attorney to be the point person for anyone who wanted to come forward with allegations about the Leland Police Department. At the time, though, the AG’s office said it was available to answer any questions brought forward by law enforcement agencies investigating allegations about Leland, but not the general public like David said.