A Georgia cop was fired and his colleague abruptly resigned after their racist, sexist and racial slur-ridden Facebook messages became the target of an internal investigation, authorities said.
McIntosh County deputy Brant Gaither was fired on July 25 after his offensive online conversations with cop buddy Jeremy Owens were discovered by a supervisor, according to records obtained by the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
The disgraced cops, who served on the department’s special traffic unit, would repeatedly use racial slurs in messages — and at one point even hinted at targeting African-American drivers.
In addition to outright racist sentiments, the cops reportedly also joked about domestic violence against women.
Once Gaither was fired, he tried to defend the vulgar messages, claiming they were all sent in good fun.
“It was just a joke, we all do it,” he said, according to a memo.
But Sheriff Stephen D. Jessup, who made the call to fire Gaither, didn’t buy it, calling his deputy’s messages an example of “total racism” that made him “want to throw up.”
“There was never any question of what I needed to do and I did it,” he said. “I do not tolerate that in my department.”
Gaither and Owens did not return requests for comment from the Daily News early Thursday.
The cops' repulsive messages were first discovered after one of Owens’ supervisors was given access to his old computer in mid-July. It was not immediately clear why the supervisor was given permission to review the computer.
Jessup, who is up for re-election next month, said the department might consider dismissing some cases involving the disgraced officers, adding he instructs his deputies to treat everyone in the community respectfully, regardless of color or gender.
“I’m here to protect and to serve,” Jessup said. “I’m there to represent all of them. I treat them all the same, everybody.”
The shocking messages were revealed just days after an elementary school teacher’s aide in nearby Forsyth County was fired for describing first lady Michelle Obama as a “gorilla” on Facebook.
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