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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 13 March 2019

Chief: Probe finds racially

divided Detroit police precinct

tinized and criticized for
their treatment of African-
Americans and other peo-
ple of color. Protests over
the shootings of black men
by white officers have up-
turned dozens of cities in
recent years.
The audit "should be used
Former East Pittsburgh police officer Michael Rosfeld, charged as a template to address
with homicide in the shooting death of Antwon Rose II, arrives racism precinct by pre-
at the Dauphin County Courthouse in Harrisburg, Pa., Tuesday,
March 12, 2019. cinct and in special po-
Associated Press licing units," said Kenneth
Reed, spokesman for the
In this Monday July 11, 2016 file image from video, Detroit Po-
lice Chief James Craig speaks to reporters during a news con- Detroit Coalition Against
Black woman added ference held at his department's headquarters in Detroit. Police Brutality.
"The coalition challenges
Associated Press
to jury over protests By COREY WILLIAMS coming an officer, not re- Chief Craig to continue
audits for each precinct,"
by officer's lawyer Associated Press porting misconduct, ne- Reed said.
DETROIT (AP) — A second glect of duty, and being The misconduct investi-
white Detroit police offi- untruthful to investigators. gations into Garrison and
cer has been fired for mis- "While investigating former Steele ran parallel to the
By MARK SCOLFORO series of protests, including conduct after his partner officer Steele, investigators probe that revealed the
Associated Press a late night march down a posted a racist video on- determined that officer 6th Precinct was "racially
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — major highway. line, and an internal audit Garrison also repeatedly divided," Craig said.
A judge in the case of a The first day of jury selection found that racial insensitiv- demonstrated disturbing "During this audit, some re-
white western Pennsylvania produced six women and ity is a "dirty little secret" in actions while on the job," ferred to the racial insen-
police officer accused of three men for the panel, in- the west side police pre- said Craig, adding that the sitivities that was demon-
shooting to death a black cluding two black women cinct where both worked, incidents were not isolated strated by some that this
teenager last year put a and one black man. Jurors the city's police chief said to the day the video was was the 6th Precinct's dirty
black woman on the jury are being chosen in Har- Tuesday. recorded. little secret. When com-
Tuesday over the defense's risburg because of wide- The investigation into the Craig said about a dozen ments were made, super-
objections but said he will spread publicity about the 6th Precinct was launched allegations were leveled visors were pretty much
reconsider the decision. case in the Pittsburgh area. this year after Gary Steele, against Garrison, including non-responsive. Some of
Allegheny County Judge The trial will begin next then a police officer, post- that he used names for Af- the comments were made
Alexander Bicket agreed week in Pittsburgh and is ed a video on Snapchat rican- and Arab-Americans around the station, some in
that lawyers for former East expected to last more than of a black driver whom he that were "certainly racial- the field," he said. One of-
Pittsburgh Police Officer Mi- a week. had pulled over for hav- ly insensitive, particularly ficer told investigators that
chael Rosfeld had improp- Prosecutors and the de- ing expired plates. He can when they're focused on in January 2015, Garrison
erly ruled out the woman fense both have challeng- be heard saying "priceless" one or two demographics." saw a white man walking in
based on race, but later es they may use to elimi- and "bye Felicia" as the Garrison also failed to re- the cold, called him a "tax-
said he would "revisit" the nate potential jurors, but 23-year-old woman walks port the Snapchat video paying citizen" and gave
topic. those challenges cannot away. Video captions read to supervisors and was the man a ride to his desti-
Rosfeld, 30, of Verona, is be based on a potential "What black girl magic not truthful when making nation. Later in the shift, the
charged with criminal ho- juror's race, gender or eth- looks like" and "celebrating statements to investigators, officers saw a black man
micide for the June shoot- nicity. A 55-year-old black Black History Month." Craig said. carrying what appeared to
ing death of Antwon Rose woman from Harrisburg Steele was fired two weeks Attorneys for the police be bags of groceries. The
II. Rose, 17, was shot three was ruled out by Rosfeld ago. Chief James Craig union haven't replied to a other officer asked if they
times, including in the defense attorney Patrick announced Tuesday that phone message seeking were going to give the
back, as he ran from a Thomassey, prompting a Steele's partner, Michael comment. black man a ride. Garrison
vehicle that Rosfeld had so-called "Batson chal- Garrison, has also been Police departments across replied "no, we're not" and
stopped. lenge" from the Allegheny fired for conduct unbe- the country are being scru- kept driving, Craig said.q
The shooting prompted a County prosecutors. q