A Maryland state trooper who shared a racially offensive image in a group message with other officers following the murder of George Floyd has retired, raising the ire of detractors who said he should have been fired instead.
After three years of investigation, Cpl. Jason Oros is ending his career with full benefits but losing his retirement badge and police identification number.
The Caucus of African American Leaders held a rally outside of the Governor’s Mansion on Aug. 23 and called on Wes Moore, Maryland’s first-ever African American governor, to denounce the photograph and ensure that future incidents end with firings, not retirements.
The image, too graphic to describe, was held up on poster boards during the rally while civil rights activist Carl Snowden and other speakers demanded action and accountability.
“It’s just a racist act,” Snowden said. “Can you imagine demeaning someone? Someone who’s been murdered by police officers?”
George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died on Memorial Day 2020 in Minneapolis when a police officer attempting to arrest him over a counterfeit $20 bill knelt on his neck and chest for nearly 10 minutes.
His death sparked mass protests in the U.S. and beyond, while the officer, Derek Chauvin, was ultimately convicted of murder. Several other officers on the scene were also convicted of lesser crimes related to the incident.
The Maryland State Police addressed the matter in the following statement: “Under the leadership of Colonel Roland L. Butler Jr., the Maryland Department of State Police is committed to working in partnership both to address any issues that do not meet the Department’s professional standards and to ensure that every member of the Department understands that bias and racism will not be tolerated.”
Dave Grogan, a retired U.S. Marshal, said in an interview with The Informer that the issues with the Maryland State Police “are simply a microcosm of the reality of law enforcement culture across America, whether it’s local state or federal law enforcement.”
Grogan, who has been working with the Caucus of African American Leaders to advocate for improvements in law enforcement procedures, noted the disproportionate share of Black state police who are under internal affairs investigations.
“In order to facilitate this government-sponsored gang like operations, new and veteran white law enforcement officers and agents are mentored, while Blacks are managed by continuous terrorist-style investigations,” Grogan said.
Not surprised far too many law enforcement agencies in America are backed in contempt for Black Americans
BLM
Retiring.with FULL benefits. Really harsh ! SMH