Once again, in a situation in which police officers are exposed for their racism, the investigation and overview procedures designed to address such matters miss the mark. In January, a report emerged that Orlando police officer Robert Schellhorn was being investigated for Facebook posts in which he called NFL protesters “unpaid thugs” and “useless savages.” However, it was uncovered that though these comments were in response to a post of racist language by another officer, Shawn Dunlap, Dunlap’s own inappropriate statements were not properly reviewed. The civilian overview board decided yesterday that the 80 hour suspension Schellhorn received was adequate, but demanded that Dunlap’s action be brought before it.
Think about how many Black people these officers may have encountered during their daily routines. How have they been treated? How have these racists views affected their work? There needs to be more than immediate investigations into instant complaints. There needs to be a comprehensive review of their actions besides simply this probe.
Read the full story over at orlandosentinel.com.
