The city council in Sioux Rapids, Iowa, voted to suspend the town’s chief of police after he left a comment on Facebook referring to Black Lives Matter protesters as “road bumps.”
The council decided that Chief Tim Porter would be suspended without pay for two weeks because of his comment on Facebook. The council also voted to require Porter and all members of the council to attend a sensitivity training to educate themselves on racism and discrimination.
“He will be disciplined,” said Councilwoman Lynda Swanson. “Not only will Chief Porter take this class, but the city council will take the class also. Because none of us are perfect. And we can learn from the class. Just like he will.”
Porter outraged many when he commented, “HIT THE GAS AND HANG ON OVER THE ROAD BUMPS” on a Facebook post featuring a video of a driver rushing through a crowd of protesters in Des Moines, Iowa. Porter said that he posted the comment on accident and that it was supposed to be in reference to an unrelated post.
“I have a huge apology to all that saw my Facebook page yesterday of myself making a comment about running over a person in the street holding a USA sign. Someone called me last night and asked me about it, I was just surprised myself. I was on another post working and somehow it accidentally was posted on the wrong post,” Porter said last week.
“I just want to publicly apologize for my horrible mistake, my posting was a total accident. I don’t want to offend anyone. I’m all for peaceful protest, bad cops getting removed. People that know me, know I would never encourage anyone to run over any protester or anyone. I’m for change like everyone. I feel horrible for my mistake. I’m sorry for all the confusion,” he added.
Porter had several residents attend the council meeting to show their support for the chief. Joel McCoy argued that Porter deserved a second chance to correct his “huge mistake.”
“Our chief is a very good man,” McCoy said. “For the sake of the argument, he made a huge mistake. But, I think pencils have erasers, I think we all deserve a second chance. I think that man will do all he can to make sure he’s a better person each day.”
Protesters have been demonstrating against police brutality and racial injustice in Iowa and across the nation following the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died after an officer knelt on his neck for several minutes during an arrest in Iowa’s neighboring state of Minnesota.
*story by The Washington Examiner