— Three Greenville police detectives disciplined after a May 2018 traffic stop filed suit against a city councilwoman this week, arguing that her formal complaint against them amounts to an abuse of authority.

Detectives Joshua Smith, Travis Brinkley and Brock Flannery say Greenville City Councilwoman Kandie Smith obstructed justice and interfered with their employment by pressuring the police department to take disciplinary action against the officers.

Smith is the Democratic candidate for the open N.C. House seat in District 8, which covers Pitt County, and has been a vocal advocate of criminal justice reform, including a push for the creation of a civilian review board to increase oversight of the Greenville Police Department. The lawsuit, filed in Pitt County Superior Court Monday and backed by the N.C. Police Benevolent Association, cites her candidacy as motivation for several complaints she has filed against the department.

One of those complaints stems from a late-night traffic stop in May conducted by the three detectives in the suit that resulted in misdemeanor drunk and disruptive and open container charges against Leondus Farrow, an assistant superintendent for Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools. The suit argues that the stop – and the ensuing arrest – were lawful.

Kandie Smith, who was not present at the stop, later submitted a complaint on Farrow's behalf to the Greenville police chief, noting her position as a councilwoman.

"Plaintiffs allege that Defendant has a regular practice of submitting complaints of this kind regarding GPD officers, including regarding incidents in which she had no personal involvement," the lawsuit says. "Plaintiff[s] are further informed and believe, and therefore allege, that Defendant has as regular practice of initiating confrontations and interactions with GPD officers to file complaints against them."

Reached by phone Monday, Kandie Smith said she had not yet been served with the lawsuit and had not reviewed it, but later released a formal statement.

"The council only has the authority to make employment decisions concerning the City Manager, City Attorney and the City Clerk," Smith wrote. "At no time can an individual council member make any decision about the status of the employment of an employee of the City of Greenville."

The Greenville Police Department fired Brinkley and Flannery and suspended Smith after conducting an internal investigation. The lawsuit says that wouldn't have happened without the councilwoman's "deliberate, intentional and willful interference."

Attorney Michael Byrne, who is representing the three detectives on behalf of the Police Benevolent Association, said his clients are still appealing their disciplinary actions with the city.

"PBA is justifiably concerned about a situation where officers are subject to very severe disciplinary action under circumstances where we see no evidence of any substantive wrongdoing," Byrne said. "It is not fair to officers or the citizens to have any disciplinary action taken against an officer because of political interference or actions."

Byrne said he's not sure exactly how many complaints Smith has lodged against the Greenville Police Department, although he said he's aware of at least three filed recently.

But he said the suit is not an effort to clamp down on legitimate grievances with officer conduct.

"If there is a chilling effect involved in this process, the chill is on officers trying to do their jobs," Byrne said.

The plaintiffs, who are suing Smith in her individual and official capacity, are seeking damages of upwards of $50,000 each.

Smith is running to fill a seat in the state legislature currently held by Republican Rep. Susan Martin, who announced in November 2017 she would not seek re-election to another two-year term. Martin won her 2016 race by 163 votes – a razor-thin margin that represented less than half a percentage point – when district lines included both Wilson and Pitt counties.

Kandie Smith faces Republican Brenda Smith, a retired human resources manager, for a newly redrawn District 8 containing western Pitt County and most of Greenville.