CREWE, Virginia (WRIC) – Two Crewe police officers face dismissal after posting inappropriate videos cited by the police chief on TikTok social media platform.
On Monday evening, Crewe City Council had a hearing where these officials could share their side of the story.
Just over a dozen people went to the Crewe Police Department on Monday to assist these officers, saying these inappropriate videos shouldn’t be reason enough to fire them.
Just over a dozen Crewe citizens voiced their concerns at a public hearing for two officials who were fired Monday. (Photo: 8News reporter Sabrina Shutters) The California high school is stripped of its basketball title after tortillas are thrown at Latino opponents
Caleb Lafferty and Rondell White face police dismissal despite telling 8News that they removed the “inappropriate” videos months ago when the previous police chief asked them to do so.
“The termination is a little exaggerated,” Lafferty told 8News in an interview on Monday.
Officials said the new police chief Alfredo Ferrer introduced a new social media policy and the videos violated it. At the hearing on Monday, a Crewe citizen told 8News that the Farmville police chief was the one who brought the videos to the attention of the Crewe police chief.
“The way things are happening right now with racism and everything else, we’re trying to show people that different cultures can come together, we can have fun, we can, you know, be a little dark humor,” White said.
A native of Blackstone, who chose to remain anonymous, said the officials’ TikTok videos contained racist content. “If you have friends who are colored, why should you skit them with the KKK or make jokes that contain racist content or insult? It just seems weird to me. “
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Alex Trim, a Crewe resident, attended the protest on Monday and commented on the situation.
“I hate to see us lose two cops who care about this community because of something as stupid as making comedy videos,” he said.
At a hearing on Monday, city manager Brian Thrower quickly shut down media and public questions after 8News and local residents asked why the hearing wasn’t given much publicity.
When asked why 8News was notified only about half an hour before the public hearing began, Thrower said, “We are following state notification procedures.”
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After Chris Page of Crewe asked Thrower why the public had not received the required 3-day notice, Thrower quickly said, “These are all the questions we are going to answer now,” and left the building.
Page told 8News that he is an advocate for the Freedom of Information Act and plans to file a lawsuit Tuesday for failing to receive proper notice for the meeting.
The city council did nothing on Monday, allowing officials to find a lawyer before the next hearing. Until then, the officials remain on paid administrative leave.
If these officers are released, Crewe will be left with two policemen.
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