Report: 3 Miami officers fired over target practice ‘jokes’
MIAMI — Three new police officers were fired for making comments on a group chat about using Miami’s primarily black neighbourhoods for target practice, a newspaper reported Friday.
Officers Kevin Bergnes, Miguel Valdes and Bruce Alcin were let go on Dec. 23, after an internal affairs investigation concluded that they violated department policies, said the Miami Herald (http://hrld.us/2hxDZZp), citing documents it obtained.
The remarks angered local civil rights activists keeping tabs on a department that is currently scrutinized by the U.S. Department of Justice for a pattern of excessive force.
“It’s indicative of the casual conversations and comments that young and even more seasoned police officers are used to making without a lot of repercussions,” said Julia Dawson, an activist who has been part of law enforcement oversight panels in Miami.