Senatobia Police Chief Fired Following Discovery of Racist Text Messages
The board voted unanimously after reporters published messages showing he used a racist slur more than a dozen times in 10 conversations.
- On Tuesday, the Senatobia Board of Aldermen unanimously fired Police Chief Harold Vanderford, rejecting his resignation letter after investigators revealed racist text messages.
- Reporters from Mississippi Today, Verite News, and The New York Times revealed Vanderford used racial slurs more than a dozen times in text messages dating to last summer, including degrading language about Black people.
- The decision marks a 180-degree change from city leaders, who initially expressed confidence in Vanderford after he appeared before them last week and answered questions about the messages.
- Civil rights attorney Ben Crump stated the firing "does not answer the question Kohen's family has been asking since June 14: what happened to their baby?" while community advocate Patrick Lumumba called it a victory.
- Lt. Angelica Maze will lead the department as interim chief while the city searches for a permanent replacement, as the police force faces ongoing scrutiny following Kohen Wiley's fatal June shooting.
13 Articles
13 Articles
CAIR Welcomes Firing of Mississippi Police Chief Over Racist Text Messages
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the decision by leaders in Senatobia, Mississippi, to fire Police Chief Harold Vanderford following reports that he repeatedly used racist slurs and degrading language in private text messages. Senatobia’s Board of Aldermen voted unanimously on Tuesday to reject Vanderford’s resignation and terminate him instead. V…
'Get Your Hands Off!': Video of Mississippi Police Chief Grabbing Man by the Neck Resurfaces as Department Faces Scrutiny Over 1-Year-Old’s Killing
The fatal police shooting of 1-year-old Kohen Wiley has renewed scrutiny of the Senatobia Police Department, with residents pointing to previous encounters they say raised […] ‘Get Your Hands Off!’: Video of Mississippi Police Chief Grabbing Man by the Neck Resurfaces as Department Faces Scrutiny Over 1-Year-Old’s Killing
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