A full-blown internal investigation is underway into the discovery of a racist poster allegedly found inside the locker of a veteran Philadelphia police officer.
Officials say the offensive paper emblem was found inside officer Scott Schweizer’s locker at the elite Narcotics Strike Force. It showed a police officer on one side and a white hooded character on the other. It said “blue by day, white by night”. A note saying “white only” was also found.
Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey is promising to get to the bottom of it and moved quickly to condemn any form of racism in the department.
“If it’s an indication of how a person feels that’s not something we certainly want in our department,” said Ramsey. “We take it very, very seriously. Internal Affairs is working it and we’ll let the cards fall where they may.”
“The ramifications of it being true, if it is, he should be gone,” said Rochelle Bilal, president of the Guardian Civic League. “The department shouldn’t tolerate anybody that has that type of mentality on the department. Not only around our fellow officers, but around our community.”
Police sources say the racist material was found about three weeks ago when a fellow officer saw it inside Schwiezer’s locker and reported it to a supervisor.*
High-ranking narcotics officials immediately investigated, then passed it on to internal affairs. Schweizer was moved to desk duty at police headquarters as the investigation continues.
The officer told investigators the racist material was planted in his locker. Police sources say investigators found his fingerprint on the material inside his locker.
He could face departmental charges ranging from a reprimand to a suspension or even dismissal. His lawyer refused to comment citing the ongoing investigation.
UPDATE: Two Philadelphia/>/> police officers from the department’s elite Narcotics Strike Force faced punishment this week for a racist poster found inside a locker, back in January.
Police confirm two officers, Scott Schweizer and Eric Dial, have been transferred out of the narcotics squad.
The disciplinary action followed a two-month internal investigation that began after two paper emblems were found inside Schweizer’s locker. One read: “White Only”. The second showed a police officer on one side and a white hooded character on the other. It said “Blue By Day, White By Night”.
A published report says Commissioner Charles Ramsey personally punished the two officers and put them back on routine patrol.
Ramsey reportedly also gave each a 20-day unpaid suspension.
*We really have to wonder about the ability of the general public to ascertain true hypocrisy regarding a couple of non-pc cops and black presidential candidates who hold 20 years worth of church endorsed views. — EDITORS