A Massachusetts police officer has resigned after he allegedly carved a swastika on another officer’s personal vehicle, Fox News reports.
The Marblehead Police Department was notified of the incident in mid-November and placed officer Timothy Tufts on administrative leave, according to Fox News. Tufts, who joined the department in spring of 2016, resigned after the Marblehead Police Department completed an internal investigation into the carving of the symbol used by Nazi Germany, Fox News reports.
“I am dismayed and deeply disturbed by this incident,” Marblehead Police Chief Robert Picariello said in a statement Wednesday. “Today, there is no room for excuses of ignorance. The swastika is a symbol of hate and genocide, and we must speak up against acts of hate and hate speech whenever and wherever we encounter it. I apologize to our community for this deeply disturbing and unfortunate situation, and I vow to do everything and engage every resource available to ensure that this kind of incident does not repeat itself in the future,” Picariello added. (RELATED: Murdered Cop’s Family Criticizes New Los Angeles DA Over Sentencing)
Marblehead police officer resigns after allegedly scratching a swastika into another officer’s vehicle https://t.co/ysjD7LAIzs pic.twitter.com/CRaFmHMMtT
— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) December 17, 2020
Picariello began investigating the matter and placed Tufts on administrative leave immediately after he was made aware of the incident, Fox News Reports. These steps were all “consistent with the policies and procedures of the department,” according to Picariello.
The Marblehead Police Department will bring in an outside investigator and commission an independent administrative review, Fox News reports. The purpose of bringing in these outside actors is “to conduct a holistic finding of fact so that we can learn all of the facts of this incident and include it in our training programs,” according to Picariello’s statement.
Picariello also said he is in contact with the Anti-Defamation League of New England, Fox News reports. Picariello said the ADL chapter “will engage their invaluable training programs and resources for every member of the Marblehead Police Department,” according to Fox News.