Racist messages emerge in SFPD texting scandal

Former San Francisco Police Officer Jason Lai allegedly sent racist and homophobic text messages.



The San Francisco Police Department has been embroiled in an ongoing scandal involving more than a dozen officers who allegedly wrote and sent racist and homophobic text messages. This week, new disturbing messages emerged from a former officer at the center of the scandal.

New Racist, Homophobic Texts Emerge In Ongoing SFPD Scandal

CNN has obtained a list of dozens of offensive texts sent to and from Officer Jason Lai, who used slurs that included a derogatory term for Hispanics, a shortened version of the n-word, and a message calling Indian people "disgusting," as well as homophobic language to refer to gay officers.

Lai's texts also made several references to "hak gwai," a derogatory Cantonese phrase for African Americans:

SFPD officers investigated for racist, homophobic texts

23-year veteran resigns amid text message scandal.



Several officers with the San Francisco Police Department are under fire for their involvement sending a series of racist and homophobic text messages. One of the four officers initially implicated has resigned, and ten other cops were placed under review by the department's internal affairs division.

Fallout From SFPD Racist Texts: Officer Resigns Amid Scandal

Former sergeant Ian Furminger and four other officers reportedly exchanged the text messages, denigrated minorities and gays, between 2011 and 2012. Last week, the U.S. Attorney's office, released the messages as part of a motion to deny bail to Furminger, who was recently convicted on federal corruption charges.

Here is sampling of some of the text sent between the officers, containing various disparaging references to Blacks, Latinos, Filipinos and gay people: