ST. LOUIS (AP) — A St. Louis County Police Department employee is being investigated after a racial slur was uttered over a police radio channel, officials said.
Police spokesman Sgt. Benjamin Granda said Saturday that the employee was working as a dispatcher when the slur was broadcast. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the dispatcher has been relieved of his or her duties while an internal investigation is completed.
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Police Chief Mary Barton said in a statement: “As I have said in the past, discrimination, by word or deed, shall not be tolerated by any of us in the St. Louis County Police Department. We have, and will continue, to hold one another accountable.”
The St. Louis County Police Association condemned the employee’s use of the racial slur.
“We are aware of the racist language that was broadcast over the police radio … We are appalled. There is no place in modern society for these racist epithets,” the association said. “Chief Barton needs to take swift action and terminate the employee from the police department. We have a history of speaking out in these situations and will continue to do so.”
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The Ethical Society of Police (ESOP) says while it supports the disciplinary action taken by St. Louis County Police following the incident, more needs to be done.
ESOP, in a news release, says they have continuously asked Chief Barton and the police commissioners to address racism that "thrives at St. Louis County."
Additionally, the Ethical Society says if a recent report by Teneo Risk, wasn't enough to move Chief Barton to take on systemic racism, this latest incident will.
The President of the St. Louis County NAACP, John Bowman has issued a statement saying, "We are calling for the swift termination of the St. Louis County police dispatcher involved in hate speech activity while on duty. Administrative leave is not enough."
Bowman says without swift corrective action within the police department, rather than continued commentary and over-used apologetic statements, these egregious acts will continue.
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