BPD officials condemn racist video featuring patrolman
Police are investigating a video containing racist remarks that allegedly involves a Hub patrolman that “couldn’t have come at a worse time,” according to a leader of the city’s minority officers’ union.
The video, a copy of which was obtained by the Herald, is in the style of a humorous movie trailer, describing a police officer and a “dog with a limp” as partners “in the fight between good and evil.” The video names the officer and shows photos and brief video clips of him — including an image of him in a uniform and photos of BPD sawhorses — and also crudely makes fun of the cop.
At the conclusion, text in the video reads “This summer, black people have met their match.”
Police saw the video Thursday morning and immediately turned it over to Internal Affairs, according to BPD spokesman Lt. Detective Michael McCarthy, who said the investigation into where it came from and the officer depicted “remains active and ongoing.”
“The content of the video is upsetting and not in keeping with the department’s philosophy of community policing,” McCarthy said in a statement. “The Boston Police Department expects all our officers to exercise sound judgment and behave in a manner that reflects positively on themselves and the department. Officers are expected to act in a way that fosters strong community relationships and trust across the city.”
Larry Ellison, the president of Massachusetts Association of Minority Law Enforcement Officers, said he did not want to comment on the officer, saying it was unclear where the video came from or who put it together.
But he said he’s received dozens of calls from other officers and members of the public who’ve seen it.
“It’s clearly taking on a life of its own,” Ellison said. “What do you think it means, ‘Black people, you met your match?’ I don’t know how you say it doesn’t mean anything negative.”
The video would make policing more difficult for all officers, Ellison said.
“It doesn’t send the right message, it doesn’t make the job any easier, black or white,” he added. “It couldn’t come at a worse time to have something like this out there.” Antonio Planas contributed to this report.