Bryan Norwood, Va. police chief who OK'd Chris Brown's probation, resigns

By: Julia Dahl
Topics: Daily Blotter

Richmond Police Chief Bryan Norwood resigned on Feb. 12

/ WTVR

(CBS) The Virginia police chief whose department signed off on singer Chris Brown's disputed community service hours has resigned.

Richmond Police Chief Bryan Norwood stepped down Tuesday and will be replaced by former Richmond Police Chief Ray Tarasovic.

According to a statement by Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones, Norwood's departure was reached by "mutual agreement."

Norwood's department had been in the news recently when oversight of Brown's community service hours was called into question by a Los Angeles County District Attorney last week. In August 2009, Brown was sentenced to 180 days of community labor after he pleaded guilty to assaulting his then-girlfriend, singer Rihanna. A judge ruled that he could perform his sentence in Virginia, where Brown reportedly has a home.

On Feb. 5, D.A. Jackie Lacey filed a motion asking a Los Angeles judge to find Brown in violation of his probation agreement because of what she called "no credible, competent or verifiable evidence that Defendant Brown performed his community labor as represented to the Court."

Lacey wrote: "Representations made by the Richmond Police Department regarding supervision, completion, documentation and reporting of the Defendant's labor are inconsistent, unreliable, and cannot be attributed to any source."

Lacey requested that Brown be ordered to begin his probation anew and serve the entirety of the sentence in Los Angeles County.

Brown appeared in a Los Angeles court - accompanied by Rihanna - on Feb. 6 to answer the D.A.'s charges. His attorney, Mark Geragos, told the Associated Press that the D.A.'s accusations were "frivolous, scurrilous and frankly defamatory." The judge ruled he needed more information on the matter and scheduled a hearing for April 5.

In October 2012, CBS affiliate WTVR reported that Norwood's tenure might be in danger due to a spike in the city's homicide rate and the termination of two Richmond police officers for allegedly making threats against President Obama and the First Lady.

Complete coverage of Chris Brown on Crimesider

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