While everything may be in flux today, there is one thing that will always be a constant: cops being mad racist/dumb as hell. The latest instance of a cop being a dumb racist takes us to Massachusetts, where a rookie state trooper was fired after using a racial slur during a confrontation.
According to NBC News, the trooper was off-duty when he got into a confrontation last weekend with a motorist. The trooper, who is currently unnamed, was a rookie in the Massachusetts State Police. They were a part of a recruit training group that graduated in May, and were still under a year-long probationary period.
The races and names for either person involved in the incident weren’t given. According to CBS News, the confrontation began after the trooper approached a man sitting in a parked car. So the trooper was off duty, a man was minding his business in his car, and the cop decided “you know what? Let’s start some shit.”
Well, good job trooper. Now you’re out of a job.
“I am disgusted and disappointed by the conduct that occurred, which is the antithesis of the standards of conduct and personal behavior we expect and demand of our members,” the state police superintendent, Col. Christopher Mason, said in a statement.
“This subject is not fit to wear the badge or call themselves a member of the Department,” Mason added. “We will have no tolerance for such conduct.” He went on to say the decision to fire the trooper came on Tuesday, after the department found out about the incident. Mason has asked the office of the state attorney general to launch an investigation into the incident, for any criminal or civil rights violations.
Mason was appointed superintendent of the state police last year by Gov. Charlie Baker (R). At the time, officials said Mason’s appointment was intended to bring reforms to state police. These included better police accountability, promoting women and people of color to positions of power, and changing training to be less militaristic, focusing on de-escalation techniques instead.
Considering this person was a recent trainee, I’m incredibly curious how those efforts are going.