Police Chief Could Be in Hot Water Over Racist E-mails

Police Chief routinely sends obscene and racist e-mails to staff, report says

After chasing bad guys all day, it's understandable cops could use a good laugh.

But the kind of humor circulating around the Wilton Manors Police Department might not be so funny to minorities, women or President Barack Obama.

And the dozens of crude and offensive jokes being sent by e-mail are all coming from the police chief's computer, reports the South Florida Times.

The e-mail scandal hasn't resulted in disciplinary action yet, but it appears the Broward State Attorney's Office is looking into the matter.

Among the jokes found in Police Chief Richard Perez's e-mail was a story hinting Obama is the offspring of a woman and a dog.

“A little boy said to his mother, ‘Mommy, how come I'm black and you're white.’ His mother replied, ‘Don't even go there, Barack! From what I can remember about that party, you're lucky you don't bark!’” read the e-mail, sent from Perez on July 23.

The South Florida Times quotes another e-mail, entitled "Math Class" that appears to be poking fun at education in the inner city.

“Dwayne pimps 3 ho's. If the price is $85 per trick, how many tricks per day must each ho turn to support Dwayne's $800 per day Crack habit?” reads that e-mail.

Other e-mails include nude pictures, racial slurs and jokes degrading women, blacks and other minority groups. Several jokes also target the Democratic Party.

Mayor Gary Resnick said the city manager is also investigating the matter and that a decision could be made as early as next week.

"We have no tolerance for anything like this," he said.

Perez became Wilton Manors first Hispanic police chief in 2005 after a decorated career with the Fort Lauderdale Police Department.

Like most cities, Wilton Manors prohibits employees from sending racial and obscene images and jokes from their government e-mails.

But what happens when one of the city's leaders is the person sending the e-mails?

Perez has not commented on the issue yet.

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