National

Letter in Police Mailboxes: Black Officers Belong in Toilet

Published

9 years ago

February 19, 2015

A Bridgeport Police Department vehicle (Douglas Healey/AP Photo)

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) — A threatening letter that disparages black police officers has been found stuffed in mailboxes at a police department.

State police are investigating the unsigned letter, which is on Bridgeport Police Department letterhead and begins and ends with the term “white power,” city officials said Wednesday. Black officers said it was at least the third hate-filled message to circulate within the police department over the past year.

The letter singles out black Officer Clive Higgins, who was acquitted last month of civil rights violation charges in the beating of a Hispanic suspect in the racially diverse city. A white officer and a Hispanic officer pleaded guilty and were sentenced to three months in jail.

The note says Higgins doesn’t belong at the police department and threatens him.

“You better watch your back. We know where you live,” it says. “Your face was all over the newspaper. Remember you have no duty weapon to defend yourself.”

The letter also says, “These Black Officers belong in the toilet,” and it alleges Chief Joseph Gaudett Jr. and Assistant Chief James Nardozzi don’t want “them,” especially Higgins, in the department.

A minority officers’ group, the Bridgeport Guardians, held a news conference Wednesday to discuss the letter. Higgins attended but declined to comment.

Members of the Guardians said they believe the letter was written by someone within the police department because copies of it were found in mailboxes in an area not open to the public.

“If it came from the outside, we’d think, ‘OK, people really don’t like police,'” said Detective Harold Dimbo, vice president of the Guardians. “But coming from inside, there are no words to be said.”

Dimbo added, “This type of behavior affects a minority and spreads racism and hatred throughout the Bridgeport Police Department as well as the community.” He said some officers were concerned about their safety.

The episode adds to a history of discrimination problems in the Bridgeport Police Department.

The Guardians sued the department for discrimination in 1978, leading to findings by a federal judge that the department was fraught with discrimination against its minority officers. The judge appointed a special master to oversee assignments and discipline of officers, an oversight that didn’t end until 2010.

City spokesman Brett Broesder said that the city has zero-tolerance policies against racism and discrimination and that anyone found responsible for the letter faces swift discipline. He said Bridgeport, which has about 150,000 residents, has the most diverse police force in the state.

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Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

Published

20 hours ago

April 19, 2024

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Barbara Lee

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Issues Statement on Deaths of Humanitarian Aid Volunteers in Gaza 

On April 2, a day after an Israeli airstrike erroneously killed seven employees of World Central Kitchen (WCK), a humanitarian organization delivering aid in the Gaza Strip, a statement was release by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12). “This is a devastating and avoidable tragedy. My prayers go to the families and loved ones of the selfless members of the World Central Kitchen team whose lives were lost,” said Lee.

Published

3 days ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Congresswoman Barbara Lee

By California Black Media

“This is a devastating and avoidable tragedy. My prayers go to the families and loved ones of the selfless members of the World Central Kitchen team whose lives were lost,” said Lee.

The same day, it was confirmed by the organization that the humanitarian aid volunteers were killed in a strike carried out by Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Prior to the incident, members of the team had been travelling in two armored vehicles marked with the WCF logo and they had been coordinating their movements with the IDF. The group had successfully delivered 10 tons of humanitarian food in a deconflicted zone when its convoy was struck.

“This is not only an attack against WCK. This is an attack on humanitarian organizations showing up in the direst situations where food is being used as a weapon of war. This is unforgivable,” said Erin Gore, chief executive officer of World Central Kitchen.

The seven victims included a U.S. citizen as well as others from Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Palestine.

Lee has been a vocal advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza and has supported actions by President Joe Biden to airdrop humanitarian aid in the area.

“Far too many civilians have lost their lives as a result of Benjamin Netanyahu’s reprehensible military offensive. The U.S. must join with our allies and demand an immediate, permanent ceasefire – it’s long overdue,” Lee said.

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Commentary

Commentary: Republican Votes Are Threatening American Democracy

In many ways, it was great that the Iowa Caucuses were on the same day as Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We needed to know the blunt truth. The takeaway message after the Iowa Caucuses where Donald Trump finished more than 30 points in front of Florida Gov. De Santis and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley boils down to this: Our democracy is threatened, for real.

Published

4 days ago

April 16, 2024

Oakland Post

It was strange for Iowans to caucus on MLK day. It had a self-cancelling effect. The day that honored America’s civil rights and anti-discrimination hero was negated by evening. That’s when one of the least diverse states in the nation let the world know that white Americans absolutely love Donald Trump. No ifs, ands or buts.

By Emil Guillermo

In many ways, it was great that the Iowa Caucuses were on the same day as Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

We needed to know the blunt truth.

The takeaway message after the Iowa Caucuses where Donald Trump finished more than 30 points in front of Florida Gov. De Santis and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley boils down to this: Our democracy is threatened, for real.

And to save it will require all hands on deck.

It was strange for Iowans to caucus on MLK day. It had a self-cancelling effect. The day that honored America’s civil rights and anti-discrimination hero was negated by evening.

That’s when one of the least diverse states in the nation let the world know that white Americans absolutely love Donald Trump. No ifs, ands or buts.

No man is above the law? To the majority of his supporters, it seems Trump is.

It’s an anti-democracy loyalty that has spread like a political virus.

No matter what he does, Trump’s their guy. Trump received 51% of caucus-goers votes to beat Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who garnered 21.2%, and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who got 19.1%.

The Asian flash in the pan Vivek Ramaswamy finished way behind and dropped out. Perhaps to get in the VP line. Don’t count on it.

According to CNN’s entrance polls, when caucus-goers were asked if they were a part of the “MAGA movement,” nearly half — 46% — said yes. More revealing: “Do you think Biden legitimately won in 2020?”

Only 29% said “yes.”

That means an overwhelming 66% said “no,” thus showing the deep roots in Iowa of the “Big Lie,” the belief in a falsehood that Trump was a victim of election theft.

Even more revealing and posing a direct threat to our democracy was the question of whether Trump was fit for the presidency, even if convicted of a crime.

Sixty-five percent said “yes.”

Who says that about anyone of color indicted on 91 criminal felony counts?

Would a BIPOC executive found liable for business fraud in civil court be given a pass?

How about a BIPOC person found liable for sexual assault?

Iowans have debased the phrase, “no man is above the law.” It’s a mindset that would vote in an American dictatorship.

Compare Iowa with voters in Asia last weekend. Taiwan rejected threats from authoritarian Beijing and elected pro-democracy Taiwanese vice president Lai Ching-te as its new president.

Meanwhile, in our country, which supposedly knows a thing or two about democracy, the Iowa caucuses show how Americans feel about authoritarianism.

Some Americans actually like it even more than the Constitution allows.

About the Author

Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. He does a mini-talk show on YouTube.com/@emilamok1.