Chicago Police Officer Called Obama The N-Word, And IPRA's Pissed

By Mae Rice in News on Jun 16, 2016 9:50PM

Photo by Aaron Cynic/Chicagoist

A police officer made an "offensive racial remark" about President Barack Obama while on duty, according to a recently-released Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA) report dated mid-May. The officer called Obama the n-word last October, The Sun-Times reports, while officers were deciding amongst themselves who would work Obama's security detail at a local Bulls game.

IPRA recommended that the Chicago Police Department fire the unidentified officer, who the Sun-Times reports works at Little Italy's District 12 station. However, the report from IPRA head Sharon R. Fairley, addressed to Chicago police chief Eddie Johnson, also made wider-reaching recommendations. Fairley noted that nine officers and one sergeant who overheard the racial slur told IPRA officials they did not—yet more evidence of the "code of silence" in CPD that Mayor Rahm Emanuel was almost called to testify on in court. Fairley recommended the department remind these officers who feigned ignorance "of their duty to be truthful."

A depiction of President Obama at Chicago's District 12 police station (Independent Police Review Authority)

Fairley also called out a depiction of Obama hanging in the District 12 police station, which shows the president as a pitch-black blob. The police officer who submitted a complaint to IPRA about the racial slur against Obama also submitted a photo of this picture; Fairley agreed with the complainant that the artwork was "offensive," and recommended CPD review its policies to make sure they prohibit postings like it.

This case is not the only extremely recent one in which a Chicago police officer got caught using the n-word. This has been a problem on Chicago police radio. (CPD is also plagued by systemic racism, in case you forgot.)