Judge names 17 Antioch cops who allegedly sent racist text messages, memes

[Curried Goats]

Big deal

A few text messages with the n-word amounts to nothing

Sounds like it amounts to suspension and an FBI investigation. Are you illiterate?

 

[EvilCat Breath]

You're right they are, but there are also consequences for that freedom of speech.

True. That's what a tyranny does. It punishes thoughts and opinions.

 

[Mac-7]

Sounds like it amounts to suspension and an FBI investigation. Are you illiterate?

What they accused of is petty ante

 

[Curried Goats]

What they accused of is petty ante

Did your buddy on the inside of the investigation slip that nugget to you? Was he wearing a dark cloak? Did you meet him in a parking garage? I'm all down for make believe, I just wish you'd all fill in the back story a little more.

 

[Superbadbrutha]

Serving the public is a very difficult job these days. But thinking the way it seems these officers did about the people you serve is pernicious. It's bad for the public you serve, of course--and it's bad for you, the cop, or the teacher, or the whatever. It poisonous all the way around.

Complain all day long about criminals because you're in the business of taking care of that. But leave immutable characteristics out of it

Yep and you keep on making excuses for this behavior.

 

[Superbadbrutha]

Big deal

A few text messages with the n-word amounts to nothing

To a racist and someone who condones it, you are probably right.

 

[Mac-7]

To a racist and someone who condones it, you are probably right.

To anyone with an ounce of common sense

 

[Superbadbrutha]

To anyone with an ounce of common sense

This coming from the same guy who thinks it's OK for the cops to show up at the wrong residence and murder the owner.

 

[marvin martian]

Names include the union president and several officers already placed on leave as a result of an ongoing federal probe.​

In a move that deepened the scandals engulfing the Antioch police department, a Contra Costa County judge on Friday 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 names include the president of Antioch’s police union, as well as five officers already under investigation by the FBI for alleged crimes. The judge also named 11 other Antioch officers — at least eight of whom have been put on leave over the group texts, which reportedly included frequent use of racial slurs as well as racist memes.

In releasing the names, Judge Clare Maier urged caution, saying the content of the messages was so offensive it could “incite further hate or racial animus.”

But, she said, information about the texts — and the identities of the officers involved — “doesn’t deserve protection” under the California evidence code. She did not disclose what each officer is accused of actually sending but generally categorized the content as “deeply disturbing” and targeting “members of the Black and Hispanic community.”


Among the officers Maier named was Rick Hoffman, the president of the Antioch Police Association, who has been a frequent critic of Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe, a police-reform advocate. Hoffman was among the officers placed on leave over the texts, according to multiple Antioch law enforcement officials.

“We’ll go through some challenges because of staffing. Absolutely,” said Thorpe. “But if that’s what they’re doing (making racist and homophobic texts), I don’t want them here.”

Police Chief Steven Ford did not respond to a request for comment.

“I haven’t seen any text messages. I don’t know what the content is. Until I know more, I think it’s irresponsible for me to say anything,” said attorney Michael Rains, who represents Antioch police officers.

The existence of the text messages became known last month as a result of an ongoing federal probe into Antioch and Pittsburg police officers, but Friday’s developments made clear just how many officers are involved in both scandals plaguing APD.

The FBI — which is investigating alleged fraud, bribery, drug distribution and civil rights violations related to the use of force — found the messages after agents served search warrants on a number of officers’ homes and showed up at the police department to seize phones and other personal items.

The first offensive messages date to September 2019, and they continued until January 2022 when the phones were seized, Maier said.

Of the officers Maier named, five — Devon Wenger, Eric Rombough, Andrea Rodriguez, Calvin Prieto and Morteza Amiri — already have been placed on leave amid the FBI investigation. A sixth, Tim Manly, has resigned from the department.

Judge names 17 Antioch cops who allegedly sent racist text messages, memes

The officers used the N-word, shared racist memes referring to Black people, and talked specifically about Black men they were investigating, potentially damaging active criminal cases.

www.eastbaytimes.com

This doesn't happen in America anymore.

There is no racism in police departments.

I knew this happened in a blue city before I even clicked the link. You people LOVE this shit.

 

[L.K.Eder]

What they accused of is petty ante

petty ante, he queefs in engrish. lol

 

[Mac-7]

This coming from the same guy who thinks it's OK for the cops to show up at the wrong residence and murder the owner.

And you think its ok to tell lies about what happened

 

[whitehall]

We still can't get a freaking judge to release the manifest of the Nashville trans terrorist who killed three kids and three adults but the names of innocent Police Officers who are alleged to have sent "racist" text messages (protected by the 1st Amendment?) becomes a federal case. WTF?

 

[Superbadbrutha]

And you think its ok to tell lies about what happened

Police go to wrong house and bang on the door.

Homeowner is startled by someone banging on his door at midnight on a Wednesday night.

Homeowner takes a lawful weapon to the door to see what is going on.

Police see homeowner with a weapon which he can legally carry and open fire on him, murdering him.

All the police say is, "oops we went to the wrong house".

Now tell me where I am in error.

 

[Mac-7]

Homeowner takes a lawful weapon to the door to see what is going on.

That was a stupid thing to do

Why open the door when you think you might need a gun?

Talk to the unknown threat through the door till you learn who is out there

 

[Superbadbrutha]

That was a stupid thing to do

Why open the door when you think you might need a gun?

Talk to the unknown threat through the door till you learn who is out there

The confusion and the crime falls at the feet of the police, there is nothing unlawful that the home owner was guilty of.

 

[Mac-7]

The confusion and the crime falls at the feet of the police, there is nothing unlawful that the home owner was guilty of.

Is it against the law to sleep on railroad tracks?

No

But what can happen if you do?

 

[lennypartiv]

This only proves the cops know who the bad guys are.

 

[SweetSue92]

Yep and you keep on making excuses for this behavior.

Except that I didn't

 

[Biff_Poindexter]

Yeah...because blacks never make derogatory comments about whites.

Let me know when you find 17 black police officers engaging in shit like this and get back to me...

Guarantee you that you will not be supporting them...so shut the entire fuck up

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Let me know when you find 17 black police officers engaging in shit like this and get back to me...

Guarantee you that you will not be supporting them...so shut the entire fuck up

Go fuck yourself cop hater.