Racial comment by Ft. LAuderdale LEO
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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- A Fort Lauderdale police officer has been suspended and will soon be fired because of a racially charged comment investigators said he made in court.
Witnesses claim Officer Robert Hoffman made the statement to a young black man in court in April 2003. Hoffman was testifying in another trial. As he walked out, he can be seen on the tape leaning over and whispering something to the juvenile, who was waiting for another hearing.
Internal Affairs investigated the incident and determined that Hoffman said he was going to "get his black a--."
Hoffman claimed under oath that what he really said was "$150 cash," which is how much money he was paid in overtime to testify in court.
Public Defender Melinda Blostein, who was in court at the time, disputes that. She said she heard a "a--" and not "cash."
Three other witnesses also said they heard a threat. Blostein is the one who filed a complaint about it.
The Fort Lauderdale police chief agreed that the racial comment occurred and that it was unacceptable. In a department letter he said Hoffman is an officer who cannot be trusted. Hoffman will be dismissed Aug. 22.
pkagel
SoCal Expatriate
If he did say that he is an absolute friggin idiot. Did he learn nothing from Mark Furman
"Respect for religion must be reestablished. Public debt should be reduced. The arrogance of public officials must be curtailed. Assistance to foreign lands must be stopped or we shall bankrupt ourselves. The people should be forced to work and not depend on government for subsistence." - Cicero, 60 B.C.
For California police academy notes go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CABasicPolice/
horne80
You've got gold!
heh.. Yeah, but if a black man had said "black ***" it would've been ok. Hell on the radio we say "white chevy caviler" I'm sure it was just him thinking he was on the radio .. hahaha..
Either way, unless he said "I'm going to get that F*ckin n****" I dont' see how it's RACIALLY CHARGED! But then again, I'm not retarded...
I honestly don't care what color the officer is. He is stupid to say something like that to a defendant. Why would an officer even lower himself to the defendant's level. You come in, testify, leave. If he gets off you have a 2nd chance to catch him.
BrickCop
He who speaks Truth
Originally posted by pkagel
I'm not condoning what he did but you're naive if you think that (many) street cops don't give out similiar verbal digs at a scumbag every once in awhile. The fact that this was deemed racial cooks this officer career.
Disclaimer: The writer does not represent any organization, employer, entity or other individual. The first amendment protected views/commentary/opinions/satire expressed are those only of the writer. In the case of a sarcastic, facetious, nonsensical, stirring-the-pot, controversial or devil's advocate-type post, the views expressed may not even reflect those of the writer.
Hmmm.... although it's not something professional to say I can't see how they'd terminate someones career over saying black ***. Would it have been racial if he said white ***? Er?
I certainly don't agree that it is a termination offense, but it sounds as though he went out of his way to make the derogatory comment. I don't think it was some inncocent or misunderstood comment. He shouldn't even be talking to the defendant in court.
Tennsix
Originally posted by horne80
So, are you saying it was ok for him to say that?
I bet if he had admitted to it...
I bet if he had just owned up to it, he would still have his job.
Originally posted by Matto
It wasn't the words so much as it was the context in which they were used.
1. The cop should not have said anything to the kid-especially in court.
2. It was a racial dig.
3. If it had been a black officer saying "I am going to get your white ***." to a white person, the outcome should have been the same.
As an African-American, I am sensitive (legitimately so)to comments like that. Many of you have no idea what it is like to be confronted with such ignorance. How many of you have had to talk to your kids after an white person sped by in a car and said, "Get your black *** back to Africa"?
like i posted above
The chief sad "He cannot be trusted" or something of that nature.
From what I have learned, you can screw up a LOT in police work, hell, sometimes even shoot the wrong guy - and not loose your job. But if you lie ONCE, even on the smallest of things, there goes your career. He lied about what he said. He got fired. Integrity IS this job. Without it, your testimony, reports, and everything else you do is subject to doubt.
-SPM
Excellent point
lsmalibu
Gotta go with SPM on this one.
While I think the comment was racial, it doesn't mean the officer is a racist. He is seemingly, however, a liar. Neither belongs in policework.
*Not a cop*
Ballen0351
Everyones pretty fast to call him a lier. All because some bleeding heart public defender says she thought he said ***. I know I have on a few occasions laughed at some crack head and told him how much overtime I got paid just to sit in court after they get off with some stupid penalty like probation. And according to every black person I have ever arrested I am a racist for arresting them nevermind the 8ball of crack in there pocket. If he did say he was going to get him who cares it does not mean hes a racist just ment he going to get him. and just because its a kid that doesn't matter either I dont know how many times I been cussed out by 6,7,8 year olds thats the way life is in tougher neighborhoods. The only people that would be shcoked by that are people that work in Mayberry.
Quick throw me your cuffs I already used all of mine
Come here Slick Im not done with you yet
Originally posted by Tennsix
True... I just think maybe everyone is jumping on the cop quickly. And it seems the people doing so are people already arguing against him. If he said it, I'm not defending him, it was stupid, would just hate to see someones career get trashed over something they didn't do.