A South Carolina police officer has been caught on video repeatedly using the N-word during a routine stop at a bar.
The Columbia Police Department is conducting an internal investigation of the incident after Sgt. Chad Walker was seen in the minute-long clip using the racial slur twice.
Walker, who has since been suspended without pay, is seen getting into an argument with a person at the bar because the cop was allegedly giving the Black people at the bar a hard time while going easy on the white folks.
“My issue is that you’re talking to these people of color as if they’re less than human,” one man is heard saying to Walker.
“The people of color?” Walker says. “You mean the gentleman right there that called me a n****r? That guy who just called me a n****r?”
“Can you not say that word?” the man says.
“Are you serious?” another person asks.
Walker is then seen getting into an argument with a Black man, who says he didn’t call Walker the N-word.
“Yes, you did!” Walker says. “You got mad that I told you that you couldn’t drink your drink, so you called me that word! All you’re doing is calling me ignorant; that’s what that word means,” he says to the Black man.
“I was called that, so I can say it back. He can say it to me, but I can’t say it to him? Who cares what color I am?” Walker continues.
The clip quickly went viral and sparked outrage, leading protesters to gather at the CPD building on Sunday.
Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin tweeted, “We hold our @ColumbiaPDSC to high standards of leadership in civil community engagement. We are thankful to responsible citizens for alerting us to unacceptable officer actions.”
Police Chief W.H. “Skip” Holbrook said in a statement Sunday, “After reviewing the video from last night in Five Points, it is evident the actions of Sgt. Walker were a clear failure to fulfill the expectations and standards of our department.
“The repetition of the racial slur and failure to deescalate the situation were inexcusable. Our officers are trained to serve as leaders and to deescalate confrontations of potentially volatile situations.”
