Clatskanie, Oregon Police Chief Marvin Hoover was forced to resign after his own police officers filed a report alleging that Hoover compared a black female suspect to a monkey.
The incident took place after officers told Hoover that a black female suspect they arrested had threatened to sue them for discrimination.
The official report alleges that Hoover “beat his chest like Tarzan” after he called the woman “an animal.”
Officer Dustin Stone said in his complaint,
“I relayed several of the arrestee’s remarks such as, ‘When you look at me, my black and my nappy hair, all you see is animal.’ Chief Hoover interrupted me and said, ‘That’s what she is.'”
In the report Stone states that Hoover began acting like a monkey, placing his hands under his armpits and scratching them, while making monkey noises. Stone added,
“As Chief Hoover was comparing African-Americans to monkeys, I began to become extremely uncomfortable.
“I have never been in a work environment where a manager, especially an executive officer, is openly racist.”
At the end of August, Hoover was placed on paid leave. Hoover has now resigned.
Clatskanie Mayor Diane Pohl gave a glowing tribute to Hoover in a public letter,
“Thanks Chief Hoover for a job well done.
“You have this community’s gratitude, gratefulness and appreciation.
“Enjoy your retirement knowing we will miss you and wish you all the best.”
Officer Stone stated that both he and his wife had since been harassed by local residents following this incident. He told KOIN,
“I’ve already faced a lot of retaliation, my wife’s been forced off the road twice.
“I’ve had people in the community yelling the N-word at me.”
Historically, Oregon has had a long standing reputation for racism. Oregon was originally founded as a “White Utopia.” With this history, plus the fact that only 2 percent of Oregon’s population is black, this story isn’t really that surprising. Comparing black people to monkeys is unfortunately a very widespread form of racism. It’s time people realized that this disease isn’t about discrimination, racism is really about power.
Here’s a video report on this story.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb1Tm8SjHeg?rel=0]
