Antioch's mayor had harsh words Tuesday for members of the police department who have been caught up in an FBI investigation over racist text messages.
Mayor Lamar Thorpe called for the firing of 26 officers accused of exchanging a slew of racist slurs, jokes and memes. These messages are directed against members of the Black and Latino communities and many involve the n-word.
Thorpe was irate after learning details of the content of the texts on Tuesday, including a message specifically threatening him. The text messages were brought to light last month as a result of an ongoing federal probe alleging fraud, bribery, drug distribution, and civil rights violations related to the use of force in the department. The officers involved are on paid leave.
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