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Professor Sarah Cole quoted in Local 12 in Cincinnati discussing an investigation into a racial slur by CPD officer

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Professor Sarah Cole was recently quoted in an article by Local 12 in Cincinnati discussing an investigation into a racial slur by CPD officer.

Legal experts say cities such as Cincinnati don't have specific measures for racial slurs, instead lumping them in with profanity, coarse language and rudeness to the public. Cincinnati's police union contract and discipline procedures also don't make any distinction, and the maximum an officer can get is a suspension of up to seven to 10 days for his or her fourth offense.

Cole says that makes it difficult to make suspensions stick.

"Discipline, in this context, isn't intended to be punitive,” Cole said. “It's intended to be educational. It's intended to be progressive. So if this is the first offense of this officer, it's very hard to justify serious discipline or termination for the use even of a racial epithet."

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