Police caught in firestorm over homophobic video

One San Francisco police officer was suspended and as many as 20 others face disciplinary action after making videos parodying life on the force that used racist, sexist, and homophobic stereotypes, city officials announced Wednesday. "This is a dark day, an extremely dark day, in the history of the San Francisco Police Department," said police chief Heather Fong, who called the acts "egregious, shameful, and despicable."

The skits, featuring uniformed and plainclothes officers, were intended as a spoof, according to police representatives, and much of the content poked fun at the officers. A lawyer for the creator of the videos denied they were insensitive and said they were art taken out of context.

But the department's brass and the mayor were not amused. Clips made fun of Asians, African-Americans, women, and gay and transgender individuals, Mayor Gavin Newsom said. He was particularly offended by a scene showing a white officer in a patrol car running over a black homeless woman. "It is shameful, it is offensive, it is sexist, it is homophobic, and it is racist," Newsom said. "We're going to make sure that it ends—it ends immediately."

The department's internal affairs division launched an investigation after the videos were discovered on an officer's Web site. One officer was suspended Tuesday, and more than a dozen others—including Capt. Rick Bruce, who is on leave from the department for unrelated reasons—are under investigation for their alleged involvement, according to mayor's office spokesman Peter Ragone.

A special task force, the city's Human Rights Commission, and the Commission on the Status of Women would also investigate, Newsom said. The videos were removed from the Web site, Inside the SFPD, which was created by officer Andrew Cohen, who said the vignettes were produced for the Bayview station's Christmas party. "The guys on the streets have only one tool to relieve the stress," Cohen told KPIX-TV, "and it's humor."

One video, The Ladies Man, spoofing the television show Charlie's Angels, features three gun-toting policewomen in T-shirts and blue jeans reporting to Bruce, who sits behind his desk and suggestively licks his lips. Through the rest of the clip, a street person, an apparent transvestite, and several others lick their lips in a similar manner and say, "Oh, captain."

Another video, titled A Day in the Life of Hamster and Big Dummy, was a send-up of a lazy pair of officers who ignore several dispatches while reading the newspaper, napping in their cruiser, and practicing martial arts in a parking lot. When gunshots are reported, they race off with their lights flashing and siren wailing—only to show up at a massage parlor the driver had spotted in a magazine ad.

Attorney Daniel Horowitz, who is representing Cohen, said some of the content was sophomoric, but he blamed the mayor and police chief for drawing attention to the videos, which had been viewed only by police officers prior to their being publicized in a city news conference. He said his client had been slandered. "Maybe it is dumb, and if it is dumb, who is releasing this nationally? The mayor and the police chief," Horowitz, who is a well-known TV legal analyst, said on KRON-TV.

Horowitz also said the officers simply were having fun and mocking themselves. "Perhaps Mr. Horowitz is the kind of lawyer who thinks that a white police officer running over a black woman is something to laugh at. We think he stands alone," Ragone said.

A similar flap arose in June over the revelation that the San Francisco 49ers had produced a training video that included racist jokes, lesbian soft porn, and topless blonds. The football team's publicity director, Kirk Reynolds, resigned after the 15-minute film came to light. Reynolds said he made the tape to coach players on handling the news media in a diverse city and that it was never meant for public viewing.

Cohen, who also made serious videos documenting the work of officers, was transferred to the police records department, Horowitz said. The Web site included a statement that said he had made videos for years to raise the public's opinion of the force and raise officer morale. "I believe this was accomplished," the statement said. "However, I think that this is where the road ends." (AP)

Reader Comments

These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.

Be the first to comment on this story.

If you would like to submit a comment for posting, please fill out the form above.

All comments submitted via this form are subject to posting or publication. (To send a private letter to an Advocate editor or writer, please use the e-mail button at the top of the page, or use snail mail.) If you would like your comment considered for publication in The Advocate magazine, please include your full name, your city of residence, and a phone number where you can be reached during business hours so that we can confirm your identity. Your e-mail address and telephone number are strictly confidential and will not be shared or used for any purpose other than to contact you about your comment.

See the Contact page for sending comments for reasons other than responding to Advocate editorial and news stories.

Please note that comments sent by fax or snail mail are unlikely to be posted, although they will be considered for publication along with all letters received via e-mail or via this Web page. Comments that chiefly concern Advocate.com content will be considered for posting only on the Web site. The Advocate reserves the right to edit submitted comments for grammar, spelling, obscenities, or libel; we will, however, do our best to preserve the original comment's style and intent. Comments considered for publication in The Advocate magazine may also be edited for length.

More Exclusives

N.Y. Marriage Bill Possibly Back on Track
Now that the Democrats have established majorities in the state senate and assembly, a marriage-equality bill in New York looks like it may gain ground, but it will likely take a backseat to the state's record-setting budget deficit.

People of the Year Extended: Amy Balliett
It started as one of those great ideas people have when they can't sleep -- set up some domain names and galvanize the gay community to come together and fight for equality. Five months later, after the passing of Prop. 8, Amy Balliet put JointheImpact.com to use -- and managed to rally a million people at protests around the world in the process.

Do or Die for "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
Gay rights activist with an actor-model-author hyphenate, Reichen Lehmkuhl kicks off his Advocate.com column with a blunt look at the state of "don't ask, don't tell," promises made by President-elect Obama, and why gay Americans can't let the passing of Prop. 8 distract us from continuing to fight to overturn the ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military.

Gay Weddings Before 1950?
A new exhibit at the San Francisco Public Library gathers the stories of pioneering LGBT people who disguised their gender and legally married the ones they loved.

People of the Year Extended: Françoise Barré-Sinoussi
On October 6, the Nobel committee awarded half of the 2008 prize in medicine to two French virologists, Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier, for their discovery of HIV in 1983. Advocate.com talked with Barré-Sinoussi about the fight for credit for discovering the virus, a slowdown in practicing prevention, and her main research focus today.

Be the Best...
Whoever's on your gift list this holiday -- spouses, parents, siblings, friends, houseguests, even pets (yes, that would be the Stud food bowl pictured) -- we have the brightest ideas guaranteed to make you shine!

Wanda Sykes, Thomas Beatie Kick Off Advocate's People of the Year
Each year The Advocate names its People of the Year -- a handful of names that made headlines, made a difference, or simply made us talk. This year's list kicks off with a trio of people who had us talking in 2008. Comedian Wanda Sykes; WordPerfect founder, former Mormon, and $1 million No on 8 donor Bruce Bastian; and "pregnant man" Thomas Beatie are three people who made 2008 a year to remember.

Through the Looking Glass
American composer David Del Tredici won a Pulitzer Prize for his musical adaptation of the work of Lewis Carroll, and on December 4 he will premiere his latest and gayest masterpiece, My Favorite Penis Poems. The 70-year-old talks to Advocate.com about his relationships with Allen Ginsberg and Aaron Copland and how he transitioned from children's literature to S/M ballads.

She's Back, Bitches
Britney Spears is a perennial favorite of the type that chases ambulances -- not for the potential lawsuits, but just to get a glimpse of the tragedy inside. On her new album, Circus, Spears begins -- finally -- to justify some of the idol worship that legions of gay fanboys have heaped upon her image.

U.S. Politics From a Distance
As America continues to rejoice in election of Barack Obama -- while gay Californians lament the passing of Prop. 8 -- overseas, political activists look on from a distance. Zachery Scott has watched the drama following Election Day unfold as he serves in the Peace Corps in Mozambique.

Shoshana Bean Is Lookin' for a Superhero
Not many girls can wow a Broadway crowd in shows like Wicked and Hairspray, then turn around and bring the audience to its feet at the Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards. But Shoshana Bean goes far beyond what most people might expect, as evidenced by her soulful debut album, Superhero.

30 Years Later, We Can Still Learn from Milk
COMMENTARY: Thirty years after the death of Harvey Milk, Americans can still learn from his inspiring and profound work as an activist, politician and friend. With the story of his life opening in theatres this week, Lane Hudson takes a look back at how Milk's legacy lives on -- and what we can to do pay tribute to the legend.

Urban Cowboy
How does a brand that is over a century old make itself cool again? With a little help from the gays. Levi Strauss & Co. sponsored the world premiere of Milk at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco in October, and The Advocate sat down with the out president of the denim company, Robert Hanson, that afternoon to find out what Levi's and Harvey Milk have in common.

L.A. Gay Center Responds to Prop. 8 Criticism
In the December 16 edition of The Advocate, writer Ben Ehrenreich analyzed the differing opinions of why Prop. 8 passed at the polls in his article, "Anatomy of a Failed Campaign." Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center chief public affairs officer Jim Key responds to the criticisms raised by that article.

Billy Baldwin Pleads for Return of Dirty Sexy Money
Actor William Baldwin is half of one of TV’s most groundbreaking couples -- his Dirty Sexy Money character is in love with a transsexual, played by Candis Cayne -- but it’s one plot that may not get to play itself out, as the show is in danger of cancellation. Baldwin sat down with Advocate.com to talk about rumors that ABC is "de-gaying" its lineup, what the future holds for Money, and whether network heads ever interfered with his controversial story line.

The Kid Stays in the Picture
Lana Turner's lesbian daughter, Cheryl Crane, has penned her second memoir about her late, great movie star mother -- Lana: The Memories, the Myths, the Movies. Crane sits down with The Advocate to relive that fateful night she killed her mother's mobster lover, share some untold stories, and give us a sneak peek at the new photographs of their life together.

The Soul of Seal
Armed with a new album of soul classics and his trademark blunt outlook on the state of the world, Seal sat down with Advocate.com to discuss the rumors that he and wife Heidi Klum would have left the country had John McCain been elected, the gay rights movement, and what makes Seal's sound so damn sexy.

Finding the Silver Lining in Defeat
Three weeks ago, like many LGBT Americans, I woke up with, to say the least, mixed feelings. The euphoria of Barack Obama’s election and the expansion of the pro-LGBT majority in Congress was tempered by sadness and anger at our devastating losses in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, and, of course, California. The silver lining of these defeats has been a renewed focus nationwide on the issue of marriage equality.

Separation of Sundance and State
In 2009, Sundance will celebrate 25 years of bringing together international cinema and a variety of cultures in Park City, Utah. But with California's gay community reeling from the passage of Prop. 8, activists and filmmakers are suggesting a boycott of the festival and theater chain Cinemark, whose CEO donated a substantial sum to the marriage ban's campaign. But just how realistic is a boycott of an entire state?

Democratic Supermajority No Guarantee for Gay Progress
The 2008 election may already be one for the record books, but triumphant Democrats are still vying for an elusive political prize -- the 60-seat supermajority required to overcome Republican filibuster attempts and advance their legislative agenda swiftly beginning in January. But what are the odds of actually getting 60 seats -- and will it really push gay rights to the front of the line?