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Detroit Officer Demoted For Video Taunting Black Woman

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A Detroit police officer posted racially demeaning comments about an African-American woman whose car he impounded.

A Detroit police officer has been demoted and reassigned from the field while the department investigates racially demeaning comments made during a traffic stop and posted on social media.

Officer Gary Steele and another, unidentified officer stopped 23-year-old Ariel Moore for driving with an expired license plate Tuesday night and seized the vehicle, leaving her to walk one block to her home in the cold and dark.

WXYZ-TV reports video posted to Steele's Snapchat account shows Moore walking home as he says "priceless" and "bye Felicia" with caption tags that read, "What black girl magic looks like" and "celebrating Black History Month."

Police Chief James Craig told a news conference Thursday that he demoted Steele from corporal and apologized to Moore.

Police said Friday that Steele was unavailable for comment.

 

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