Several Minneapolis Police Officers Fired Over Racial Slurs And Making Expletive Comments About Lesbian Chief

Brian Thole and Shawn Powell

Images courtesy of KARE 11 News

Minneapolis Police Officers Thole and Powell were fired as the resulted from last June's internal investigation of an altercation between a group of black men and the officers in Greenbay, Wisconsin that involved using racial slurs, including targeting the sexual preference of their own police chief.

By H. Nelson Goodson

December 4, 2013

Minneapolis, Minnesota - On Tuesday, Minneapolis Police Chief Janeé Harteau notified both Police Officers Brian Thole and Shawn Powell who were previously suspended with pay that they had been fired for an altercation with a group of black men that involved racial slurs, including one of the officers making expletive comments about the chief's sexual preference, the Star Tribune reported. The incident that both Thole and Powell were involved happened on June 29 in Greenbay, Wisconsin. The former officers were interrogated by Greenbay police after an altercation between them and a group of black men ignited outside a local bar. The former officers made racial slurs at the scene, which were recorded by a police squad dash camera. They also went to the Greenbay police station to talk about the incident and again engaged in racial slurs.

One of the former officers was partially recorded by Greenbay police video cameras making derogatory comments about the black men and Minneapolis Police Chief Harteau. The officer said, "We have a lesbian f○○king chief...these dudes are making their monkey thing."

Greenbay police notified the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) about the incident in which both Thole and Powell were not charged, but a 40-page investigation report of the incident by Greenbay police was released to the Minneapolis Police Department. An internal investigation by the MPD was initiated and  resulted with Tuesday's decision to terminate both Thole and Powell from the department. The former officers were members of the MPD SWAT unit and are Veterans. They will appeal Chief Harteau's decision, according to the Star Tribune.

Both Thole and Powell will continue to get paid until the outcome of the appeal.