A Florida sheriff’s deputy has been suspended for 40 hours after he was caught on video making racially insensitive remarks.
Palm Beach County Sheriff’s deputy Frank Di Orsini was also ordered to complete diversity training after making the comments in front of a West Palm Beach officer, who was wearing a body camera at the time, local station CBS 12 reported.
“It smells like f—ing dirty N-word in my f—ing car,” the deputy says in the video.
According to an internal affairs report, Di Orsini had called the police to investigate break-in of his personal Jeep, which was parked outside his house. The crook had cut open the rear passenger vinyl window and allegedly stole $80 from the deputy’s wallet.
Di Orsini told internal affairs he was upset about his property being violated and mistakenly let his emotions get the best of him.
“… He realizes he represents PBSO while in uniform and this behavior would not continue,” the IA report stated.
Florida Sen. Bobby Powell, Jr, who is African-American, called the video “alarming.”
“I’m very concerned that this would happen,” Powell told CBS 12. “It’s not just the language. It was the tome behind it and the intent. The hurtfulness.”
The PBSO issued an official statement on the matter:
“The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office holds its employees to the highest standards and never forgets about its duty to preserve the public’s trust. Allegations of inappropriate behavior, criminal or otherwise, are taken very seriously.”
