Racist police officers in North Miami Beach were caught using photos of Black teens as targets while at a gun range. According to NBC 6 News in Miami, the practice was uncovered after Sgt. Valerie Deant of the Florida National Guard visited a firearms training center where Miami police did target practice..
Deant noticed that a photo of her 18-year-old brother was being used by the police for target practice. She also noticed that photos of other Black men were also used at the firearms training center.
Deant’s brother was arrested 15 years ago for drag racing and is now a married man with kids. She was shocked by her discovery, but the North Miami police chief is justifying the racist actions.
In a statement, Chief J. Scott Dennis said the officers would not be punished because the photos are used for facial recognition. However, some of the mug shots that are being used are old and feature individuals who are now living a productive life.
It’s imperative that the officers who performed this act be reprimanded in some form or fashion. With racial profiling and the deaths of unarmed Black men continuing to plague this nation, police who are paid to protect and serve should not be allowed to practice racial hatred behind closed doors.
