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Pennsylvania State Police Probe Report That Trooper Posted Racial Joke On Facebook

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) — State police officials say they are investigating reports that a northeastern Pennsylvania trooper made a racial joke earlier this year on a social media site.

WILK-FM talk radio host Steve Corbett alleged in an opinion column published Thursday in The (Wilkes-Barre) Times Leader that Trooper Tom Kelly acknowledged having made the joke in a February 9 Facebook post.

Corbett said Kelly, the Wyoming barracks spokesman, acknowledged that the joke was "in bad taste" and showed poor judgment, but noted that it was posted under an alias.

Kelly declined comment to reporters. State police spokeswoman Maria Finn said officials "are aware of the situation with Trooper Kelly and our internal affairs bureau is investigating" but declined further comment. Wyoming barracks commander Capt. James Degnan said Kelly's "job assignment has not changed."

(Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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