Video Captured Police Officer Saying He'd Shoot A Black Man
Authorities in West Midlands, England, are investigating a police officer after a Facebook video surfaced Tuesday night of him joking about shooting a black man.
Cellphone footage captured the police officer, whose name was not released, telling a black man on Aug. 24 that, "you would be the first one I’d shoot if I had a gun, definitely."
The officer made the comment while West Midlands police investigated a home in Coventry, according to a news release Wednesday from the West Midlands Police.
The video started when a police officer asked the man why he didn’t open the door.
"Because I was f---ing half asleep. I didn’t know who you was. You were climbing up the window like thieves," the man said in the video.
The man, Jack Chambers, 24, appeared to be sedentary, and smoking a cigarette as three officers stood by the door of the residence. When one of the officers stated they were law enforcement, Chambers responded, "that’s even worse," and that he’s viewed "all kinds of videos."
"You’re going to go 'Black Lives Matter' on us, are you?" the officer said.
"Yeah!" Chambers shouted. Then he and the officers laughed.
Then the officer joked about shooting Chambers. " Oh, f---ing hell," Chambers responded.
A woman screamed afterward.
The West Midlands Police Department received an official complaint from the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) Wednesday, a national agency that investigated complaints and allegations of misconduct against officers.
The video has gone viral with over 11,000 views.
Authorities investigated a officer was captured of video saying he would shoot a black man. A police officer is pictured on Nov. 26, 2015 in New York City. Photo: Getty Images
West Midlands Police’s Professional Standards Department have barred the officer from duty.
"What was said was not right and the officer has been removed from front line duties pending further assessment," Assistant Chief Constable Alex Murray said in a statement.
"The officer has already expressed remorse and is very apologetic over his comments. We expect the highest standards of behavior from all our officers and staff, and we will always take complaints from members of the public seriously."
The officers showed up to Chambers’ residence for an investigation and no one was arrested, West Midlands police spokesperson Deborah Edmonds told the Washington Post.
Desmond Jaddoo, a community activist in Birmingham called for the officer's removal Wednesday. Police officers should refrain from making comments about shooting people, Jaddoo said, according to the Guardian.
"My concern as an activist is, taking into account the current climate and deaths in custody and also community relations, this goes no way in building trust and confidence with the police," Jaddoo said.
"You don’t not make flippant statements about serious issues which affect communities. This is not locker room banter."
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