Police chief didn’t violate policy when he used racial slur, Arlington city manager says

Arlington Police Chief Will Johnson did not violate policy when he used a racial slur during a manager’s meeting in November, but he should have conducted himself better, City Manager Trey Yelverton decided.

Chris Ceballos, president of the Arlington Municipal Patrolman Association, filed a complaint against the chief in March because he hoped it would lead to a policy change.

The policy states: “The subjective intent of the speaker or actor is not relevant in the determination of whether the standard of conduct is violated.”

Yelverton’s decision, which was detailed in a memorandum released on Thursday, was based on a review of several factors, including statements made during the meeting, email correspondence, interviews and a review of personnel policies.

“You stated the ‘N’ word within the APD Manager’s meeting on November 8, 2018,” Yelverton wrote. “The context of the discussion was to specifically urge staff vigilance regarding hate crime investigations and reporting.”

“Specifically, you recounted the facts of a memorable criminal case that left an indelible impression on you as a young officer and used that experience as coaching guidance with your staff,” Yelverton wrote.

Days after the meeting, some members complained to Johnson, who is white, that he had used the term. He held a second meeting and apologized for offending anyone.

Yelverton concluded that Johnson’s recitation of the term was a fact within a prior criminal case, not a reflection of his personal view. He did acknowledge that Johnson could have used a different tactic to “achieve a similar result of creating a sense of urgency amount your key staff regarding hate crime investigations and reporting” and said Johnson’s use of the word created an unnecessary distraction to a purposeful discussion.

Yelverton wrote that Johnson’s long-time efforts “have been to advocate and be a leader to safeguard and protect civil rights for all persons.”

This story was originally published July 26, 2019 at 2:11 PM with the headline "Police chief didn’t violate policy when he used racial slur, Arlington city manager says."