Fort Worth chief fires officer for violating policy with ‘racially insensitive’ posts
Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes on Tuesday fired an officer who the department determined had posted material online that it described as racially insensitive and inappropriate.
Officer Chadwick Hughes was terminated for violating departmental general orders on social media use, the department said.
It is not clear precisely what Hughes posted or the number of statements that were under review. Another officer found the posts on Jan. 30 and reported them.
Internal Affairs concluded that Hughes was responsible for posting the material. Noakes, who is in his third week as chief, agreed with other commanders that Hughes was in violation of departmental general orders “and that his conduct brought justified unfavorable criticism upon the department,” it said in a statement.
Hughes, who had been a Fort Worth officer for three years, had been on restricted duty since the internal probe began.
A second Fort Worth officer is under investigation for similar online commentary.
The department on Friday placed on restricted duty an officer who it said may have shared a post that the department described as racially insensitive.
In the statement, the department said it would hold accountable officers who do not meet its standards.
“The Fort Worth Police Department holds every officer to a very high standard and any comment, post, or any communication which is racially insensitive and unprofessional will not be condoned in any manner.”
