This past week, a Black officer in Sheffield Lake, Ohio returned to his desk to find a note that read “Ku Klux Klan” placed atop a hooded yellow jacket, and it was soon revealed that his department’s police chief was the individual responsible for placing it there.
According to Complex, Anthony Campo printed out the words “Ku Klux Klan” on the department’s copier, placed it on a yellow raincoat, and folded it to make it look like one of the racist group’s trademark hoods. After being caught on camera, Campo has claimed that his eyebrow-raising actions were merely part of a friendly prank, but the Sheffield Lake, Ohio mayor was not at all amused by the incident.
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“He thought this was just a joke,” Mayor Dennis Bring said during an interview about Campo’s actions. “How can you possibly think that you can put something on somebody’s jacket like that, and especially if they were African American, and think this is a joke? This is the most egregious and offensive thing you could possibly do. And it’s embarrassing and disgusting.”
According to Complex, Bring was notified of the “KKK” incident by the local union representing police officers, and without hesitation, he placed Campo on administrative leave. In light of his punishment, Campo reportedly opted to retire after serving the Sheffield Lake Police Department for 33 years. See the surveillance footage of the incident below.
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