A now-deleted Facebook post created by a volunteer fire chief has caused a major backlash after he told police to stop responding to black neighborhoods.
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Francis Butch Ghent made the following statement on Facebook a day after the shooting of Andrew Brown Jr. in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. He writes, “Dear Police, stop responding to these black neighborhoods. They will eventually kill each other and the fake news won’t have a story.” Ghent works as a volunteer fire chief at the McDonald Green Volunteer Fire Department Station 12 in Lancaster, South Carolina.
After the backlash, Ghent recanted his statement and claimed he didn’t mean it for it to be “racially insensitive” after Lancaster officials caught wind of the post. “I guess it was racially insensitive. I did not mean it that way, I sincerely apologize to the people of Lancaster.”
“I would like to apologize to the black community of Lancaster and through out the country. The post I made on Facebook was not meant to be an attack you but rather a jab at the news media.”The police can’t win in these violent confrontations. I lost it and made that post. The wording was very inappropriate but anger blinded my judgment.”
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A statement was released by Lancaster County officials stating Ghent’s views are not a reflection of the city and its council.
“On Monday April 26th, Lancaster County became aware of an offensive social media post by a volunteer firefighter serving an independent fire department. Lancaster County Council and Lancaster County strongly condemn the social media post as its contents are contrary to the values and beliefs of Lancaster County government. The County has received questions about potential disciplinary or personnel action. Volunteer firefighters in Lancaster County are not employees or volunteers of Lancaster County but instead are members of their independent volunteer fire departments. Accordingly, the County cannot take any disciplinary action. However, Lancaster County and County Council take this matter very seriously and urge the fire department to address the matter.”
SOURCE: WBTV