A Michigan police chief is keeping his job after criticizing Black Lives Matters protesters and saying rioters and looters were 'vicious subhumans' and 'barbarians'
- The Board of Trustees in Shelby Township, Michigan, voted 5-2 on Tuesday to let Police Chief Robert J. Shelide keep his job after social media posts emerged in which he criticized Black Lives Matter protests.
- In early June it was revealed that he was responding to posts about the protests on social media, and had called looters and rioters "vicious subhumans" and "barbarians" that need to be in "body bags."
- Shelide has been suspended for 30 days without pay and will take diversity and cultural awareness trainings as well as de-escalation courses.
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A police chief in the suburbs of Detroit has been suspended without pay for 30 days after he criticized Black Lives Matter protesters and called looters and rioters "vicious subhumans" and "barbarians" that need to be in "body bags."
Protesters in Shelby Township, Michigan, called for Police Chief Robert J. Shelide to be fired in early June after the social media posts emerged, according to the Detroit News.
But Shelby Township's Board of Trustees voted 5-2 on Tuesday to let Shelide keep his job, the Associated Press reported. He started his month of unpaid leave on Wednesday, and he will also take diversity and cultural awareness trainings as well as de-escalation courses.
The social media posts, seen by The Detroit News, were written under an alias while responding to posts about the Black Lives Matter protests that were held following the death of George Floyd, who died in May after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. At some protests, there was rioting and looting, as well as several reports of police officers driving squad cars into crowds, shoving protesters, attacking people with pepper spray and batons, and shooting rubber bullets at journalists and demonstrators.
In one comment, Shelide wrote: "Trump threatening to deploy the military. I have a better idea. Unleash real cops and let them take care of the barbarians. I promise it will be over in 24 hours. Cops are crippled by politicians and the media."
Another said: "Wild savages. I wish to God I would have been there. Body bags for these vicious subhumans."
Shelide, a 34-year law enforcement veteran, has been chief in Shelby Township since 2015. Prior to that, he worked as a police officer in Detroit and Southfield.
"I bleed blue. I've been doing this job since I was a kid," he told trustees at Tuesday's board meeting. "This isn't a job for me. This is a calling."
Shelide, who had previously apologized for the posts, told trustees at Tuesday's meeting: "I'm not a racist."
Shelby Township, which has a population of 80,000, is 90% white according to the U.S. Census. Black Americans account for just 2% of the township's residents.
"My record speaks to the commitment and professionalism that I have exhibited for more than 30 years without incident, both of which were compromised by my emotion," Shelide told trustees. "During my administrative leave issued by the department, I will fully cooperate with the investigation, and seek the support and counsel necessary to ensure that my behavior and comments going forward more accurately reflect my character and person."
Township Supervisor Rick Stathakis and trustee Vince Viviano were the two board members who voted to have Shelled fired.
"It's essential — not just important — but essential that Chief Shelide be removed from his position," Stathakis told the Associated Press. "Maybe he can reinvent himself, not here, not in Shelby Township. The damage has been done. The police department needs a fresh start."
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