Oakland police investigating alleged discriminatory, hateful statements by former probationary officer
The Oakland Police Department said it is investigating alleged discriminatory and hateful statements made by a probationary officer who has been fired.
Department officials said it learned last Friday that the officer allegedly made a "series of racist, bigoted, and derogatory statements" on social media nearly 12 years ago. A local media outlet brought the posts to the department's attention.
"OPD immediately launched an Internal Affairs investigation and made the determination to relieve the probationary officer of their duties," police said. "Racism and bigotry are completely contrary to our core values and discrimination and hate speech will not be tolerated under any circumstances. OPD is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accountability."
The Police Department said it is collaborating with the Alameda County District Attorney's Office for the probe into the officer's statements.
"OPD is also investigating our hiring and screening procedures to ensure that the values of potential employees are in alignment with the city and the department," the law enforcement agency added.