NORFOLK
A contrite Jake Jacocks Jr., the Virginia Beach police chief, testified Wednesday that the use of racial slurs by his officers "doesn't reflect well on the department" but that he also does not believe it is widespread.
In a federal civil rights trial pitting the Oceanfront nightclub Hammerheads against the city of Virginia Beach, Jacocks had to explain how the use of racial slurs by his officers violates department standards and general decency.
"I think it's obvious to everyone that the use of the N-word is highly inflammatory and offensive and egregious," he said.
Officer Steven J. Kennedy previously testified that he and other officers, including two sergeants, used racial slurs while in uniform but off duty. Those sergeants, Anthony Palmer and John McLuckie, testified otherwise.
When Palmer was asked by Hammerheads attorney Kevin Martingayle whether he had ever used racial slurs in uniform or out, or whether he had ever heard Kennedy use racial slurs, Palmer answer, "No, sir," three times.
In an apparent attempt to show the judge that one of the officers must not be telling the truth, Martingayle pushed the police officers, including Jacocks, to acknowledge that the department has a "zero-tolerance policy" against lying.
Jacocks said the first time he had heard of his officers using racial slurs was after Kennedy gave his deposition in the case in August. He said he immediately launched an internal investigation, which included interviews with Kennedy and others in his 2 nd Precinct squad.
"We'll take corrective action," the chief said, without elaborating.
"I feel confident that if this kind of thing was widespread in the department, it would have been detected," he testified. "To my knowledge, no one has asserted it was widespread."
Hammerheads owners Andy Edwards and Louie Ochave are attempting to prove that city policies at the Oceanfront - including alleged heavy-handed police enforcement tactics, bright lighting and parking restrictions - violate their civil rights. They say the city is trying to force them out of business.
City Manager Jim Spore testified Wednesday that those allegations are false.
He said in private discussions with Edwards they both agreed that the 2100 block of Atlantic Ave., known as The Block, "probably should be redeveloped."
Tim McGlone, (757) 446-2343, tim.mcglone@pilotonline.com
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chief
Sorry Mrs.Hammer......Chief Jacocks
black residents move.....
Ok I looked at the Census info....If the VBPD is so welcoming and friendly to people of color.. Why then... since Jacocks became cheif in
2000 has VB black population dropped 68% after 10 years of growth....
1990-2000-13% to 28%...............2000-2006-28% to 19%
This info is available at vbgov.com
“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclination, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.” - John Adams, in Defense of the British Soldiers on trial for the Boston Massacre, 1770
HEROES
If anyone remembers the article on the VBPD awards ceremony last May, oh wait that was a very positive story on VBPD, so that didn't get the attention. Anyways, there were several life saving medals and medals of bravery given the to men and women of the VBPD for saving lives and putting themselves at risk for the safety of all citizens. When shots are fired and everyone else is running away, there are police officers running towards danger to save lives of everybody, regardless of color, race, or anything else. Period!
I've heard
police officers, throughout Tidewater, use the "N" & worse more times than I can count. I heard it during my law enforcement career. It was sometimes used directly toward me. I sometimes overheard it used to refer to another Black or toward me. I reported all incidents of which I had knowledge. The offenders got a "slap on the wrist", if that. I haven't felt completely comfortable at Va. Beach beaches since the closing of the all Black Seaview Beach, decades ago. I've gone to beaches on both the east & west coasts. I've been to beaches around the world. Va. Beach & Myrtle Beach are, in my personal experience, 2 of the most unwelcoming for people of color, not just Blacks. It doesn't matter your age, your manner of dress, if you're darker than a paper bag, all year, you too often can feel the tension in the air at each of these resorts.
DIXIELAND757
Dixieland
We need more of these lawsuits..Few citizens have the resources or tenacity to fight for whats right…
As far as Kennedys 15 min of Fame for breaking the silent code of blue. Are you nuts? He has nothing to gain/Everything to lose… But maintains his integrity…
The rest of them should be fired immediately unless they take lie test…Like the rest of us are required to do to keep our jobs. A lecture and movie doesn’t cut it…
VBPD Disrespect the people our Constitution and everyone who has died or put there live on the line to protect it….
We need new leadership that respects the laws our country is founded on….
Men much wiser then they put these laws in place and lost there lives so that we could enjoy the freedom and libertys we do....To sit back and allow this to happen is an outrage.....
“He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.” - Thomas Paine, Dissertation on First Principles of Government
Constitution
ricke69229
What is your point.. Should police officers not be required to tell the truth or have integrity.......The problem is that of all of the officers who testified one 26 year veteran of the force told the truth under oath...At great personal risk I’m sure...Its not just the slurs in question..
So you better believe its worse than we can imagine...It’s not isolated to one night...I looked at the website frindsoftheblock and was disgusted. This has been allowed for a long time..The police police themselves and unless someone files a case like this it will never be fixed.....
They all need to be removed from their positions and replaced with people who respect our Constitution and the millions who died before them to protect it....there are plenty of deserving men who need jobs who understand why we have justice system and a Constitution....
officers are constant targets...
...of whoever is caught doing wrong. I am more likely to believe in this day and age of awareness and sensitivity that any police officer wouldn't believe a slur complaint would be rendered agianst him or her if he/she used it regardless of their own ethnicity. But everytime someone is called on thier bad behavior there's a spiteful claim put against them of one sort or another. In a case where it's unsubstantiated by "reliable" witnesses, then it should be thrown out and these constantly harrassed professionals can get back to doing their jobs FOR US. I just couldn't imagine the obscene anarchy we'd have without them. Our society is pretty much an undisplined and unkind one that lays blame on the police every time they're caught being bad people. If you didn't get into trouble, you'd have no run in with the officers. Trust me, there was trouble at that location on that night.
I for one am very satisfied with the Virginia Beach Police.
I think that this is a ridiculous law suit. I don't believe that the VB Police Department is a racist organization. I think that Officer Kennedy may have embellished his intial report a tad bit to get his 15 min of fame. I also don't think that Cheif Jacocks should have to even deal with this much less answer such scathing questioning from the Defense. Then you have Sergeant Palmer being asked questions like have you ever used the "n" word. It's actually very appalling I think that it is time to move past these systematic racism conspiracy theories and get on with the important stuff. I just don't believe the officers have any racial agenda and don't think it is right to go after their reputations in that manner. Keep up the hard work VBD.
...but
...But Jerry Springer style articles in the pilot intended to start an argument are quite common.
Waste of tax payers dollars
I'll solve this.. Is there racial slurs in uniform.. Yes... Should there be... No..... Do the blacks call each other the N word? You bet they do... I'm thinking, they don't care... I'm over double standards personally... I've been called racial slurs, it rolls down my back..
Why have a Constitution
This terrifies and saddens me…Why even have a Constitution,, These officers have no integrity or respect for the basic fundamentals are Country is founded on and millions of men Die to protect….They should all be removed…There are plenty of Veterans who need jobs…
Virginia Beach Police Department
I feel the police department has lost the respect of the citizens of this city. I believe the new mayor shouild dump Spore and Jake Jacocks. Their philosophy is no longer, "Protect and Serve." Jacocks had that removed from the police department vehicles. People are afraid and distrustful of the police department and too many will not help them solve cases. Remove them from their positions....NOW!
Hypocrisy alive and well
One has to love the “don’t do as I do, do as I say” mentality that thrives in our society. Someone explain to me why it’s so wrong for anyone – black, white, yellow, orange, green – to use a word that’s enormously prominent and acceptable in the black community. And don’t tell me the “N” word isn’t used on a continuous basis inside Hammerheads by its patrons.
Yes, the word has connotations of degradation and racism, but when many blacks use it as a substitute for “friend” or “buddy” or fill rap songs with it, do not scream oppression and file lawsuits when a non-black uses the same word. When’s the last time a white person sued a black person or prominent black business for using the words “honky” or “cracker”? Sorry, you can’t have it both ways.
Please....
Can we give this story a rest??? It's been on the front page for about a week now...how many different versions of this can the Pilot come up with??
Enough already....