UNPUBLISHED

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT

RICHARD LOCKLEAR,

Plaintiff-Appellant,

v.

WHITEVILLE, N.C., The Town of, a

municipal corporation; JOHN

RAYNOR, Chief, in his official

capacity and individually; JEFF B.

EMORY, in his official capacity as

city manager and individually;

No. 96-2642

RANDALL ARAGON, as Chief of

Police of the Town of Whiteville in

his official capacity and

individually,

Defendants-Appellees,

and

THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF

WHITEVILLE, N.C.,

Defendant.

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the Eastern District of North Carolina, at Wilmington.

W. Earl Britt, Senior District Judge.

(CA-95-31-7-BR)

Argued: March 2, 1998

Decided: April 21, 1998

Before HAMILTON, Circuit Judge, BUTZNER,

Senior Circuit Judge, and MOON, United States District Judge for

the Western District of Virginia, sitting by designation.

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Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion.

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COUNSEL

ARGUED: Woodberry Lennon Bowen, BOWEN & BERRY, Lumberton, North Carolina, for Appellant. Patricia Lee Holland, CRANFILL, SUMNER & HARTZOG, L.L.P., Raleigh, North Carolina, for

Appellees.

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Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit. See

Local Rule 36(c).

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OPINION

PER CURIAM:

Richard Locklear appeals the district court's entry of summary

judgment in favor of the Town of Whiteville, North Carolina and several present and former officials of Whiteville* (collectively, the

Defendants) in this action arising out of the termination of Locklear's

employment with the Whiteville Police Department. Locklear alleged

seven causes of action against the Defendants, each of which has its

genesis in Locklear's assertion that his employment was wrongfully

terminated because he complained about a former supervisor's misuse

of Whiteville Police Department time cards. Locklear's causes of

action alleged: (1) substantive due process violations in contravention

of both the United States Constitution and the North Carolina Constitution; (2) procedural due process violations in contravention of both

the United States Constitution and the North Carolina Constitution;

(3) wrongful discharge in violation of North Carolina public policy;

(4) occupational liberty interest violations in contravention of the

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*Specifically, Locklear asserts causes of action against John Raynor,

former Chief of Police of Whiteville; Jeff Emory, the City Manager of

Whiteville; and Randall Aragon, current Chief of Police of Whiteville.

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North Carolina Constitution; (5) equal protection violations in contravention of both the United States Constitution and the North Carolina

Constitution; (6) breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing

in violation of North Carolina common law; and (7) civil conspiracy

in violation of North Carolina common law. The district court

rejected each of Locklear's substantive claims, holding, in part, that

Locklear had not shown that his termination was causally related to

his "whistleblowing" activities.

We have carefully examined the record, the briefs, the arguments

of counsel, and the opinion of the district court. We agree with the

district court that Locklear has failed to establish any of the violations

he alleges and, therefore, affirm on the reasoning of the district court.

See Locklear v. Town of Whiteville, No. 7:95-CV-31-BR(2) (E.D.N.C.

Oct. 15, 1996).

AFFIRMED

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