Long Beach police officer suspended for allegedly making 'biased and prejudiced remarks'
The Police Department said it is also reviewing previous use-of-force incidents and arrest reports made by the officer.
LONG BEACH, Calif. (CNS) -- A Long Beach Police Department officer has been suspended for allegedly making "biased and prejudiced remarks,'' and authorities are reviewing his past use of force incidents and arrest reports, police said Friday.
Officer Maxwell Schroeder, a five-year veteran of the department, was suspended on Thursday and was most recently assigned to Field Support, according to the Police Department.
"On August 19, the Long Beach Police Department was notified that one of our officers had made biased and prejudiced remarks in electronic communications with a non-LBPD employee,'' the agency said in a statement. "The Department immediately launched an internal administrative investigation and re-assigned the officer to a desk assignment.
"In the weeks since, the Department has acquired additional evidence and, yesterday, internal affairs investigators interviewed the officer as part of the internal administrative investigation,'' police said.
The police department cited the serious nature of the allegations against Schroeder and based its decision to suspend him on a preliminary review of the evidence and investigation. The suspension is pending a final determination of the administrative investigation.
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"The Long Beach Police Department holds all its employees to the highest standards of integrity and professionalism -- and we have zero tolerance for all forms of prejudice,'' police said.
The investigation is expected to be completed in the coming weeks and the police department said it is reviewing previous use-of -force incidents and arrest reports made by Schroeder.
Details of the remarks allegedly made by Schroeder were not released.
"This department does not tolerate biased or prejudicial behavior by any employee -- this officer's actions do not reflect the morals held by our officers who engage with our diverse community,'' said Long Beach Police Department Chief Robert Luna. "Every Long Beach resident deserves to be treated with equity and respect when they interact with our personnel.''
