Farmers' Branch Police Chief allegedly making racial slurs

[TripleDipping]

(CBS 11 News Exclusive) FARMERS BRANCH Thinh Nguyen is recently out of the police academy trying to get his first job as a police officer. But he didn't anticipate his application in Farmers Branch would provoke an offensive racial slur allegedly made by the police chief.

“I felt discriminated in a way, but I felt his comments were his own,” said Nguyen.

A high ranking Farmers Branch police official filed a formal complaint against Chief Jimmy Fawcett, claiming the chief told a six person hiring panel, "as long as I'm police chief, we won't have any gooks in this department".

Fawcett has been chief 15 years and there have not ever been any Asian officers on the force. A statement issued Wednesday says the city will now look into hiring practices.

The City of Farmers Branch says the chief admits to making "inappropriate ethnic comments regarding Asians." But the chief denies making the specific comment he's accused of. Either way, Nguyen isn't deterred and still wants to work in Farmers Branch.

“It doesn't change the way I feel. There's good officers, the ones who turned him in. I applaud them and appreciate it,” Nguyen said.

The city is not investigating because Fawcett admits to making inappropriate comments, and no disciplinary action has been taken against him.

Jennifer Nguyen with the Vietnamese-American Media Association said, "We do have a lot of mad, unhappy citizens out there waiting for comments and an apology from the Farmers Branch chief. We were shocked and are offended."

Fawcett chose not to comment on our story. The Vietnam veteran has been on the Farmers Branch force for 32 years.

link: http://cbs11tv.com/local/local_story_004190804.html

[aexchange]

fawcett deserves to be jailed for his ridiculous comments.

[twelli]

hey, I learned a new word: Gook

but wait, what does the urban dictionary say:

1. gook

korean person. not a vietnamese - see dink, or charlie. Gook dervies the Korean War (circa 1950s) and is commonly found throughout the language (ex: gook - korea ; mi gook - america ; etc ). Is commonly mistaken for being vietnamese because most people don't know their friggin' history. The Vietnam war was after the Korean War - circa 1970s. So some soliders that fought in the Korean War also fought in the Vietnamese war and carried the term with them.

[DeusDeOmini]

Originally Posted by aexchange

fawcett deserves to be jailed for his ridiculous comments.

you can't be jailed for that, c'mon. Sure its racist and wrong, but I think people make to big a deal out of these things. Tell me candidly, if a vietnamese officer said "there will never be a cracker on my force", would it get the same backlash? Hell no.

[Usually Lurkin]

for the comment? no. But I wouldn't mind seeing jailtime for him if he hired lower quality police officers because of their race. (or refused to hire qualified officers because of their race)

[aexchange]

Originally Posted by DeusDeOmini

you can't be jailed for that, c'mon. Sure its racist and wrong, but I think people make to big a deal out of these things. Tell me candidly, if a vietnamese officer said "there will never be a cracker on my force", would it get the same backlash? Hell no.

idiot. obviously, you aren't in a minority group. i've been called chink, gook, charlie, and slant eyes as some derogatory terms growing up here in dallas.

its gotten better as i've gotten older, but it still doesnt excuse people from doing it. it also doesnt excuse the freakin POLICE CHIEF who is supposed to protect all people equally under the law. he deserves to be beaten down by a bunch of us angry gooks.

[TripleDipping]

Originally Posted by DeusDeOmini

you can't be jailed for that, c'mon. Sure its racist and wrong, but I think people make to big a deal out of these things. Tell me candidly, if a vietnamese officer said "there will never be a cracker on my force", would it get the same backlash? Hell no.

So ignorant... so ignorant. You're not seeing things candidly... you're just not seeing, period.

[TripleDipping]

FB chief suspended over racial comment

Job applicant didn't hear slur; city will review hiring practices

07:58 PM CST on Thursday, January 5, 2006

By STEPHANIE SANDOVAL / The Dallas Morning News

Farmers Branch Police Chief Jimmy Fawcett has been suspended for 10 days without pay for making a racial slur about people of Vietnamese heritage last month in front of six officers who had convened to interview job applicants.

The suspension started Thursday, according to a written statement from the city.

"He also has apologized to the six people that were in the room," city spokesman Tom Bryson said Thursday.

Chief Fawcett, who acknowledged making the "inappropriate comments," did not return phone calls this week seeking comment.

The chief also is required to continue counseling with an organizational psychologist that began last month, according to the statement.

The incident has prompted the city to review the department's hiring practices.

The remark was made Dec.14, the day six job applicants were to face an interview board made up of department employees ranging from an administrative assistant to deputy chief. One of the applicants is Vietnamese-American. Neither he nor any of the other applicants were in the room when the comments were made, the city said.

Mr. Bryson said the city does not have a copy of the complaint because it was made orally. The city would not disclose the name of the complainant.

Jennifer Nguyen, grand public relations officer for the Vietnamese American Community of Greater Dallas and a member of the Vietnamese American Media Association, on Wednesday had called only for a public apology by the chief.

But the punishment handed down by the city manager is "fair enough," Ms. Nguyen said.

She said she hopes Asian-Americans realize that the comments reflect only on the chief, and not on the department or the city.

However, Ms. Nguyen said, ethnic slurs by such a high-ranking city official could hinder efforts to involve Asian-Americans in the city, Ms. Nguyen said.

"The Asian community just held a big banquet in September 2005, and for the very first time some members from the City Council attended, and we were so thrilled to welcome them with open arms, and now this is happening," she said. "So I'm afraid the Asian community is going to shy away and go back to themselves and not want to associate with American people anymore."

Chief Fawcett is a 32-year department veteran and has been chief for 15 years. He had an unblemished record before the incident, the city said.

Before beginning his law enforcement career in Sherman in 1971, he served in the Navy for four years, including assignments in Vietnam, Japan, the Philippines and Korea, according to his biography.

Chief Fawcett is also fifth vice president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and is slated to become president in 2010. He holds a Master Certificate from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education, a bachelor's degree from Abilene Christian University and an associate degree from Grayson County Junior College.

Three of the department's 100 employees – sworn officers and civilians – are Asian-American, Mr. Bryson said.

According to the 2000 census, about 3 percent of the city's population is Asian-American.

link: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont....4a20788b.html



10 days suspension and apology to just the six people in the panel? I guess being a chief for 15 years gives one the priviledge to be a racist with very little repercussions.

[mary]

Originally Posted by TripleDipping

So ignorant... so ignorant. You're not seeing things candidly... you're just not seeing, period.

Yeah..and he's pretty hypocritcal to boot. It wasn't that long ago that his tampon got all twisted around because I said something negative about North Carolina.

Racial slurs - people make too big of a deal about them...but by god don't trash talk about North Carolina!!!!!

[Usually Lurkin]

Originally Posted by DeusDeOmini

Tell me candidly, if a vietnamese officer . . . .

Stop there and think, Deus. There are no vietnamese officers. Chief Fawcett explained why.

[DeusDeOmini]

Originally Posted by Usually Lurkin

Stop there and think, Deus. There are no vietnamese officers. Chief Fawcett explained why.

yeah, in THAT branch, im talking about anywhere.

Good god, you are all a bunch of ignorant pusses. First of all, my grandparents are from Dublin, and I look just like the paradigm of an Irishman, so yes, I do know a bit about being a ethnicity.

You ARE IGNORANT if you think he should arrested or "beaten up" for saying what he said. THAT is the epitome of ignorance. You can repremand him, or better yet, fire him. But you don't arrest someone for making racist comments you idiot! Good god, get a clue.

Im not justifying what he said, and TrippleDipping "Im not seeing things candidly", wtf, that doesn't even make sense, put down the thesaurus slugger.

The man apologized, he has a "unblemished" record, he's been suspended and seeking counsulement. The freaking lady in charge of viet-american relations said the punishment was "fair enough", but yeah, YOU know better, right.

Because arresting someone for their ideas, no matter how ignorant, that's why the Vietnamese may have fled their communist country for, true freedom of expression! Of course he can't say or do that in his job position, but you can't arrest someone for that.

And Mary, your appauling ignorance about NC is sad, but I never said you should be "arrested" or "beat up" for it. Awful, awful, awful analogy

[Drbio]

I know that you can see who gave you bad rep now, but I just added a negative "Ignorance abounds in all of your posts." I thought everyone else might want to join in and give the neg rep that you justly deserve.

I've rarely been exposed to such stupidity in all my life. And I have seen plenty of stupid people.


As a former officer, let me tell everyone else that the Chief can be charged i nthis case if the evidence supports that eliminated a group of candidates based on race. He has unlawfully used his influence to affect the workings of a governmental agency. Official oppression is a felony. Sound off lawyers, but I've seen similar instances end jobs or end up in charges being filed. This clown should be suspended (as he has)and the investigtion should proceed. If evidence indicates he is guilty, he should be immediately terminated and charged.

[DeusDeOmini]

there is no proof he has purposely kept asians off the force, so no, no chance and no reason to arrest him, thats why it won't happen big guy.

God, why do you get such a hard on over rep? "C'mon guys, lets all give him bad rep and give me good rep, its the one thing I have going for me in my life, without my rep I may pull the trigger", im getting tired of seeing this after every post I make from you.

[aexchange]

Originally Posted by DeusDeOmini

there is no proof he has purposely kept asians off the force, so no, no chance and no reason to arrest him, thats why it won't happen big guy.

A high ranking Farmers Branch police official filed a formal complaint against Chief Jimmy Fawcett, claiming the chief told a six person hiring panel, "as long as I'm police chief, we won't have any gooks in this department".

[Drbio]

Originally Posted by DeusDeOmini

there is no proof he has purposely kept asians off the force, so no, no chance and no reason to arrest him, thats why it won't happen big guy.

God, why do you get such a hard on over rep? "C'mon guys, lets all give him bad rep and give me good rep, its the one thing I have going for me in my life, without my rep I may pull the trigger", im getting tired of seeing this after every post I make from you.

Perhaps if your posts weren't laden with such idiocy that might change.


The bottom line is that there was enough cause to justify an immediate suspension and experience tells that this bodes poorly for this man's long term employment. I give him a 45% chance of keeping his job.

[Drbio]

AEx- Some people are just stuck on stupid. You cannot teach or enlighten those whose mind is committed to apathy.

[TripleDipping]

DeusDeOmini: A high ranking official filed a report that he did purposely kept Asians off the FBPD, the chief himself admits to making "inappropriate ethnic comments regarding Asians", he was suspended right away, and on top of it all, he doesn't even bother to comment on the incident or try to defend himself. How much more obvious do you want this to be? You want a picture to be drawn for you now?

[DeusDeOmini]

Yes, aex, thank you, I can read

However, the man DENIED saying that exact phrase which you so elegantly quoted. To be fair we'd need to see how many Asian have applied, what were there qualifications, why weren't they accepted, ect. You can't say he's been unfairly not hiring Asians merely because he made some racists comments, the one which this whole case is predicated on, he denies saying.

Drbio, i NEVER said he won't be fired or shouldn't be fired, on the contrary, I suggested firing as an option. What I said is he can't, shouldn't, and won't be "beaten" or "arrested", now you are flip flopping, you originally, in yet another hackneyed attempt to stimy me, asserted he could and would be fired, now you are flip flopping faster then John Kerry placing an order at the Waffle House. Which is it?

Tripple, again, yes his comments were racist, that doesn't mean he said the quote he deny's saying, or that he unfairly kept Asians off the force.

[Drbio]

Originally Posted by DeusDeOmini

Yes, aex, thank you, I can read

You may be able toread, but you clearly have no ability to comprehend.

However, the man DENIED saying that exact phrase which you so elegantly quoted. To be fair we'd need to see how many Asian have applied, what were there qualifications, why weren't they accepted, ect. You can't say he's been unfairly not hiring Asians merely because he made some racists comments, the one which this whole case is predicated on, he denies saying.

When you pick a lost cause you really go all out.

Drbio, i NEVER said he won't be fired or shouldn't be fired, on the contrary, I suggested firing as an option. What I said is he can't, shouldn't, and won't be "beaten" or "arrested", now you are flip flopping, you originally, in yet another hackneyed attempt to stimy me, asserted he could and would be fired, now you are flip flopping faster then John Kerry placing an order at the Waffle House. Which is it?

Ok. Now you are jsut being an ignorant dipshit. Show me again in any of my posts where I either said he would be fired or contradicted myself in any way. You complete doofus...you cannot. Go back and read my posts and quit being stuck on dumbass. I'd say stuck on stupid but you'd have to study for years just to improve to stupid it has gotten so bad. Nice try, but yet another classic moronic swing-and-a-miss.....typical no quality, unintelligent Deus oral poo.

Tripple, again, yes his comments were racist, that doesn't mean he said the quote he deny's saying, or that he unfairly kept Asians off the force.

Waaaaay past stuck on stupid......way into stuck on dumbass.

[Usually Lurkin]

Originally Posted by DeusDeOmini

there is no proof he has purposely kept asians off the force, so no, no chance and no reason to arrest him, thats why it won't happen big guy.

THere is rarely any proof in hand before an investigation is taken.
Deus, if they do find evidence that he passed over qualified applicants due to their race, or if he hired less qualified applicants based on race, do you think fair for him to go to jail?

[Drbio]

They obviously have enough credible evidence to suspend him. Most departments will not go that route until it is pretty obvious. That is one reason that people think police departments often cover up things like this. It takes a certain burden of evidence to make the suspension.