By Ariel Rothfield, Reporter
CHARLESTON, WV -
Charleston Police Lt. Shawn
Williams' mission has always been cracking down on crime and cleaning up the
city.
“We like to think we do a good
job of keeping the riff-raff out of here,” he said during a Transit Mall raid
earlier in the summer.
Head of the Charleston Police
Department's Patrol Unit, Williams has been a police officer for 16 years. Now,
however, he is on paid administrative leave and under investigation for making
racially insensitive videos.
Although the video has not been
publicly released, sources close to the investigation have confirmed to 13 News
the video exists.
“You know, we can't have cops
that have racial issues,” said Mike B., a resident who lives on Charleston's
West Side.
According to our sources, the
video shows Williams' young daughter dressed in police uniform. She is dancing
to a Ku Klux Klan song while a man in the background shouts racial slurs. The
man's voice is said to be that of Williams.
“If that's the true person he
is, then his uniform isn't going to change it,” said Mia Thomas, who was
sitting at the Transit Mall bus stop.
13 News did try to contact
Williams several times, leaving voicemails. At time of publication, he did not
return any phone calls.
13 News also reached out to
Charleston Police Chief Brent Webster. He said he could not comment on the
situation since it is an ongoing, internal investigation dealing with
personnel.
However, 13 News did receive a
copy of the department's code of ethics. Statements officers are sworn to sign
off on include, “I will keep my private life unsullied as an example to all…”
and “I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I
accept it as a public trust to be held so long as I am true to the ethics of
law enforcement.”
It is unknown how long the
investigation could take. Until a decision is made, Williams will remain on
paid administrative leave.
