A Pennsylvania police department fired an officer after discovering that she used a racial slur in a Snapchat social media post. The police officer, Melissa Adamson, took a Snapchat of herself in uniform with the caption, “I’m the law today n***a.”
Adamson had only been employed by the McKeesport Police Department for a few weeks and had not yet completed her training as a probationary employee.
The Mayor of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, Michael Cherepko, wrote a Facebook post announcing that the officer had been fired, and why.
The post said:
“This post displays a degree of conduct and character that is far different from what I would expect from an officer in this city. It is absolutely unacceptable. Without hesitation, my office and the police chief’s office immediately concluded that this officer’s actions will not be tolerated in the City of McKeesport.”
Adamson has since apologized for her Snapchat, calling it “a stupid mistake.” She said it was an old Snapchat that she took when she worked for a different police department, and another officer started circulating it to make her look bad after the two of them had “an altercation.”
The Snapchat does appear to be an old post. In it, Adamson is wearing a uniform for the Pitcairn Police Department, where she worked and resigned from when hired in McKeesport.
Racism on Social Media
Adamson is not, by far, the first police officer to be reprimanded for a racist social media post. In June, a Detroit detective was demoted to patrol officer after writing on Facebook:
“The only racists here are the piece of shit black Lives Matter terrorists and their supporters…[sic]”
A sergeant for Louisville Metro Corrections was suspended after posting a meme on Facebook that showed a white police officer and the following text:
“If we really wanted you dead all we’d have to do is stop patrolling your neighborhoods…and wait.”
Two Memphis police officers were suspended after one posted a Snapchat containing two emojis: a black man running, and a gun pointed at him.
Anyone who tries to argue that cops are not acting on racial prejudices need only look at the countless examples of racist social media posts by law enforcement officers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrpbpCFqkHY
