Three Police Officers, One Dispatcher Accused of Racism at Grand Prairie Police Dept. After Racist Anti-President Obama E-Mails Surface

It never ends. Three police officers and a dispatcher at the Grand Prairie Police Department have been accused of using city-owned computers to distribute what are described as racist anti-President Obama e-mail messages.

"One of the individuals that has been placed on administrative leave stated that President Barack Obama would not be around long, because black males are known not to hold down a job for more than four years," said Angela Luckey, president of the Grand Prairie chapter of the NAACP. Another message used a racial slur to describe the president's aircraft. Source: WFAA.com

The supervisor of the police employees turned them in. Thankfully this was not swept under a rug, but it remains to be seen what changes will be implemented as a result of this disgraceful behavior. Police Chief Glen Hill acknowledged to WFAA that the e-mails were offensive. He reportedly vowed to take appropriate action, but not until the department completes its internal investigation. The four involved area are all on paid leave. It should be more like unpaid leave, in my opinion.

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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