DETROIT (WXYZ) — Detroit police are conducting an Internal Affairs investigation into a white officer who repeatedly used the N-word while talking with fellow officers. That officer has been transferred to another precinct and put on restricted desk duty.
Chris Graveline, who is the director of Professional Standards in the department, says this happened when the white officer called another white officer, who is a lifelong friend, on Facetime and said "hey, N-word." A third black officer was in the car and heard it. When he objected, the offending officer repeated the N-word four to six times.
Graveline says the black officer who made the complaint has a military background and did not find this incident funny. And the white officer doubled down... https://t.co/9ajOvG0Dve pic.twitter.com/xngFhzCrQQ
— Jim Kiertzner WXYZ (@kiertzner7) November 27, 2019
Graveline says the offending officer said it was a joke, and that he listens to rap music and used it as a colloquial term.
All three officers have been questioned, including the offending officer, under Garrity Rules meaning they have to comply and answer questions.
Earlier this year, 7 Action News first reported on an incident that led to the firing of two white police officers who stopped a black woman for an expired license plate and posted of video of her walking home. They said during the video, “walk of shame” and “out in the cold.”
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Is that a precedent in today’s case? Graveline says it depends on the outcome of this case compared to what they know happened in the video case. The investigation and decision in the new case could come next week. Discipline could be a suspension up to termination.
