According to the city’s mayor, surveillance video from the Sheffield Lake Police Department in Ohio reveals the veteran chief getting a note that reads “Ku Klux Klan” and putting it on a Black officer’s poncho.
The police union informed Sheffield Lake Mayor Dennis Bring of the issue, which took place last week. Bring told NBC affiliate WKYC in Cleveland that Chief Anthony Campo was instantly placed on administrative leave waiting for the final a review of the video.
Campo announced his intention to retire effective immediately a few minutes later, and the city accepted his resignation.
According to the Lorain County Morning Journal, Bring said the situation stunned him so much that he publicly apologized to city officials and had an emotional, tearful discussion with the black officer that was targeted, who Bring said voiced his interest in staying with the department.
“It took us 10 minutes to even talk to each other because we were both so emotional,” Bring told WKYC TV. “I apologized. We talked about it and as we did, he told me more about it. I was flabbergasted. There’s no one word to explain how disgusting this is.”
Campo was contacted by Cleveland ABC affiliate WEWS and he stated that he had no ill will toward the targeted officer.
