A black Tampa school resource officer was fired Tuesday after his body-worn camera captured him using the n-word multiple times, according to the Tampa Police Department.
Officer Delvin White, who served in a local middle school, was fired for “violations of policy that prohibit discriminatory conduct,” said a news release. He was an eight-year veteran of the department.
A disposition letter released by police about White’s actions said he used the racial slur while on the phone and directly to a person while he was arresting them Nov. 30, TampaBay.com reports.
When confronted about his actions, White told his superior that he did not mean for the word to be derogatory. Instead, he said that he was using the word as it is “commonly used in today’s society as a means of shared culture and experiences among the African American community,” the letter said.
White’s actions during the November phone call came to light after a random audit of body-worn camera footage, police said. He admitted to using the racial slur during the arrest that happened later that month, police said.
The Tampa police union is contesting Officer White's termination.
