After a Contra Costa Superior Court judge released the names of 17 police officers implicated in the use of racist language in Antioch last Friday, the city's mayor, Lamar Thorpe, has requested an external audit, independent of the process. of internal affairs, to gain more in-depth knowledge of the situation the organization is going through.
"There are no words to express my deep disappointment, given that one of the officers serves as president of the Antioch Police Union," Thorpe said. "While Antioch has worked hard to become one of the most racially diverse cities in the Bay Area, this will undoubtedly leave a shameful stain on our community."
The local official said in a video message that the actions of these police officers "will leave a shameful stain on our community."
He added that the culture in the Antioch Police Department is an issue and has long been a huge legal and financial liability for the city that is on full display today.
"The culture that the department requires further exploration, including how the heck all this alleged misconduct could go on for so long without anyone on our command staff noticing, from lieutenant to chief," he said. "Therefore, I am calling for an independent audit of the internal affairs process, specifically, looking at all complaints in the last six to eight years of the nature of the complaints available to you."
To this, he added his concern about the complaints that have not been investigated and that are out of time for a full review. In that sense, he specified that the city needs a complete independent audit on hiring practices and the promotion process so that the Council can apply measures that allow people with certain prejudices to be better ruled out.
“We will hold anyone accountable who has allowed this culture to continue, regardless of how long they have been here with the Department. Whether it's a year or 20, and regardless of rank," Mayor Thorpe stressed.
Similarly, he recalled that since his first year as mayor he has had to deal with issues related to the Police Department. In the first, two deaths in custody, while in the second, an FBI investigation into the department, “and now in the third year, we are dealing with alleged racism. The culture of normalization is wrong. There are no buts."
He explained that the goal of a strong police department is for the community to feel a relationship of trust with the officers.
While Thorpe asked for time to achieve the goals, he said he will do everything possible to ensure that he and the Council can make the appropriate decisions to steer the Police Department in the right direction.
The investigation into the case began a few months ago when 8 agents, one of whom has already resigned, were suspended for allegedly writing racist and homophobic text messages.
However, last Friday, a Contra Costa County judge released the names of 17 city police officers accused of using racist slurs, jokes and memes in text messages over a period of more than two years.
The judge also named 11 other Antioch officers, of whom at least eight were suspended for the group text messages, which allegedly included frequent use of racial slurs and racist memes.
When making the names known, prudence was urged, as the content of the messages is so offensive that it could "incite further hatred or racial animosity."
According to the East Bay Times, Contra Costa Superior Court Judge Clare Maier said the information about the texts, and the identities of the officers involved, "do not deserve protection" under California's code of evidence.
While he did not reveal what each officer is accused of sending, he did classify the content as "deeply disturbing" and directed at "members of the Black and Hispanic community."
“We will go through some challenges due to staffing. Absolutely," Thorpe said in an interview after the names of the police officers involved were released. "But if that's what they're doing? Writing racist and homophobic texts? I don't want them here."
This publication was supported in whole or part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.
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