*The Sheffield Lake Police Officer who was targeted with racial notes by his former boss is speaking out about the “demeaning” incident.
Officer Keith Pool was the first Black officer to work at the agency and was immediately and repeatedly targeted by then-Police Chief Anthony Campo.
We previously reported that Campo was captured on video at the department’s copier machine and placing the Ku Klux Klan printout on a raincoat set aside for Pool, just before the officer entered the room. Surveillance video of the act was posted online and Campo announced his retirement – immediately after he was placed on administrative leave.
“This was very shameful,” said Mayor of Sheffield Lake, Dennis Bring. “I don’t want this as a reflection on any of our employees because they’re just as sad about this as I am. I’ve lived here 63 years. We’ve strived to make this city better, and I think we have, and when something like this happens, one person to destroy everything we’ve worked hard for is just so heartbreaking. I mean bad.”
READ MORE: Ohio Police Chief Retires After Caught Red-Handed Leaving Racist Note for Black Officer (Watch)
The months of harassment prompted Pool to take legal action. He filed a discrimination charge with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, an initial step in preparation to file a lawsuit, per NBC News.
Pool said in an interview this week that Campo’s KKK sign was later followed up by a KKK-style hat that Campo fashioned out of paper and told Poole he had to wear it on his next call.
“It was so demeaning. It was so disrespectful to me,” Poole said.
Poole also recalls when he first started with the department, Campo sent him a photo of a vehicle on 20-inch rims with tinted windows, instead of a picture of his new patrol car.
Pool noted that Campo had an obsession with pulling over Black drivers with tinted windows.
Bring said when he learned Campo was caught on camera leaving the KKK note for the officer, he called for his immediate termination.
“My view of it is that it was an extremely poor decision of somebody who thought this was a complete joke and didn’t have the understanding of the magnitude of what he has done,” Bring said. “I don’t care, and somebody’s made a comment in this day and age it doesn’t matter this day and age, or if it was 40 years ago, that is the most inappropriate thing you can do to an African American. I don’t care; that was just totally offensive.”
Campo reportedly had a history of discriminating against people in the office based on their gender, sexual orientation and race.
“A lot of people knew about him,” Pool said. “Nothing was done.”
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