Cellphone video has captured the moment a Vallejo police officer used a racial slur, sparking an internal investigation into the incident, CBS San Francisco reports.
CBS San Francisco was provided with video of the Saturday morning traffic stop, which took place near Sonoma Boulevard in the city of Vallejo.
"I looked out the window and saw officers approaching a white pickup truck with guns already drawn," said Leo Bruno, who recorded the incident from his home. "There was shouting going on.Two officers are shown in the video outside the vehicle while two men sit inside with their hands up. A few moments later, you can hear one of the officers loudly using a racial slur.
"They proceeded to handcuff the occupants of the vehicle and lay them on the ground and search them," Bruno said. "I thought it was potentially another [police] shooting incident and I was nervous that the gun was going to go off and they were going to shoot the driver.""It's always unnecessary and uncalled for and just racist to say things like that," he added.
CBS San Francisco showed the video to Vallejo Police Lt. Kenny Park and asked his thoughts of the incident and use of the slur.
"I think you know the answer to that -- the answer is no [the officer should not have used the racist comment]," said Park.
The Vallejo police issued a statement early Sunday announcing the internal investigation.
"The citizen reports the officer used an unacceptable racial epitaph during the initial contact," the statement read. "The Vallejo Police takes all reports of unprofessional behavior seriously and has no tolerance for such behavior. The Chief of Police has ordered an immediate investigation into the incident."
CBS San Francisco was provided with video of the Saturday morning traffic stop, which took place near Sonoma Boulevard in the city of Vallejo.
"I looked out the window and saw officers approaching a white pickup truck with guns already drawn," said Leo Bruno, who recorded the incident from his home. "There was shouting going on.Two officers are shown in the video outside the vehicle while two men sit inside with their hands up. A few moments later, you can hear one of the officers loudly using a racial slur.
"They proceeded to handcuff the occupants of the vehicle and lay them on the ground and search them," Bruno said. "I thought it was potentially another [police] shooting incident and I was nervous that the gun was going to go off and they were going to shoot the driver.""It's always unnecessary and uncalled for and just racist to say things like that," he added.
CBS San Francisco showed the video to Vallejo Police Lt. Kenny Park and asked his thoughts of the incident and use of the slur.
"I think you know the answer to that -- the answer is no [the officer should not have used the racist comment]," said Park.
The Vallejo police issued a statement early Sunday announcing the internal investigation.
"The citizen reports the officer used an unacceptable racial epitaph during the initial contact," the statement read. "The Vallejo Police takes all reports of unprofessional behavior seriously and has no tolerance for such behavior. The Chief of Police has ordered an immediate investigation into the incident."
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