Five Philadelphia Officers, Including William Thrasher, Donald Swan, Anthony Ferriola Fired, Three Over Racial Slurs

Commissioner Charles Ramsey.
File photo, (Alejandro A. Alvarez / Staff photographer)

Five Philadelphia police officers were fired yesterday for alleged misconduct, including two incidents in which officers were accused of using racial slurs. William Thrasher, 24, allegedly called African Americans in his 22nd district "animals" and is quoted as saying worse. Officers Donald Swan and Anthony Ferriola were also dismissed on allegations that they used racial epithets on the job. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the remarks allegedly were made toward students while the two responded to a fight March 13 inside Audenried High School in South Philadelphia. Additionally, officers, John Safarowicz and Sgt. Paul Seeger, were terminated for alleged conduct in separate off-duty incidents. They also were criminally charged yesterday. The five officers were officially suspended 30 days with intent to dismiss.

Thrasher's downfall came when Shannon McDonald, a Temple University journalism student, who rode with him on patrol for a class assignment, overheard these comments. She posted an article on www.temple.edu/murl, which was picked up by local media and led to calls for the officer's dismissal. According to the newspaper, during the ride-along, Thrasher allegedly referred to the violence in his predominantly African American district as "typical n- s-" or "TNS."

This is indicative of the level of insensitivity that permeates police departments across this country. All too often the story for African Americans is the same -- racism at the hands of cops, the very people who are there to protect us, no matter your race, creed, gender or sexual orientation. I applaud the Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey for taking this step to show that the city will not condone racism at the hands of its cops. I must state that there are many decent and respectable police officers protecting us, but then there are some like these officers who should not have even made the cut to become cops in the first place.

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