Five Phila Officers fired, three over slurs

Robert Moran
Fri. April 24, 2009
www.philly.com

On April 23, five police officers were fired for misconduct and accused of saying racial slurs. William Thrasher 24, called African Americans in his 22nd district animals. Thrasher has been working on the force for two years. A Temple student who was riding in Thrasher’s car for a school project heard and recorded Thrasher saying racial slurs. Officers Donald Swan and Anthony Ferriola were also dismissed on allegations that they used racial epithets on the job. The remarks that were made were toward students while they were responding to a fight at Audenried High School in South Philadelphia. The other two officers John Safarowicz and Sgt. Paul Seeger were terminated for alleged conduct in separate off-duty incidents. The union will it would file grievances on behalf of the officers and then review the internal investigations that were conducted for each of them, said John McNesby, president of Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5. McNesby also said that the police union did not condone the behavior but questioned whether discipline short of firing was more appropriate.
I think that the officers got what they deserved because they are suppose to set a certain standard for the area. They not only embarrassed themselves and their families, but the police district. The reporters writing was very clear. She talked about what happened to all five of the officers and what they did. The key information that was left out was a statement from the victims. The reporter's opinions were not included; she didn’t talk about what her feelings were toward the five policemen. It could have been improved by getting a statement from the five officers.

By Ariel S.