'Get out': Police chief caught leaving 'disgusting' note on colleague's desk
A police chief has resigned after he was caught on camera leaving a racist note on the desk of his black co-worker in what he claims was a ‘joke’.
Sheffield Lake police Chief Anthony Campo had served on the force for 33 years and submitted his resignation last week after placing a note with the words ‘Klu Klux Klan’ on the raincoat of the other officer.
Security footage from inside the station saw Mr Campo collect the note from the printer before taking it to his colleague’s desk. He turns the raincoat over, and leaves the note on top of the word ‘police’.
Sheffield Lake Mayor Dennis Bring said he was “disgusted” by the note and ordered Mr Campo to leave the office.
“I said, ‘I didn’t even want to hear about it’,” the mayor told local news outlet WKYC.
“I said, ‘You got ten minutes to get out of your office. You already have admitted to it. I want your keys and badge. That’s it. Get out’.”
He also talked to the officer at the centre of the incident and apologised for the chief’s actions.
“It took us 10 minutes to even talk to each other because we were both so emotional,” he said.
“I apologised. We talked about it and as we did, he told me more about it. I was flabbergasted. There's no one word to explain how disgusting this is.”
Mr Campo told the Morning Journal the note was meant as a joke, and he was not racist.
“That’s all it was," he said. "I had a joking back and forth banter with that officer, since I hired him.”
He also said he plans to issue a statement to the community apologising for his actions.
The officer involved has declined to speak publicly and has reportedly hired a lawyer for possible action.
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