Incident At The Liczbinski Memorial?

Editor's Note: This story is currently in the "alleged" stage. There are a few corroborating witnesses, but I have yet to talk to anyone from my old district face-to-face to see if it actually happened. Keep that in mind when reading.

A retired Philly police officer named Phil related this story, which he received in an e-mail yesterday at 12:00pm:

TWO FEMALE CIVIL AFFAIRS OFFICERS FROM THE PHILADELPHIA POLICE DEPARTMENT, ONE BLACK AND ONE HISPANIC, WHO WERE ASSIGNED AS CROWD CONTROL, ALMOST STARTED A RIOT AT THE MEMORIAL SITE OF THE SLAIN OFFICER [Sergeant Liczbinski]. THEY MADE COMMENTS ABOUT THE PORT RICHMOND NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT IT IS A WHITE RACIST NEIGHBORHOOD.

THE REASON: BECAUSE TWO OLDER LADIES WERE SAYING HOW THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS BEING RUINED BY GANGSTER, THUG DRUG DEALERS THAT ARE INFILTRATING THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THE MINORITY OFFICERS TOOK EXCEPTION TO THE COMMENTS AND A MELEE ENSUED.

THE 2 CIVIL AFFAIRS OFFICERS WERE IMMEDIATELY REMOVED FROM THE DETAIL BY A COMMANDER AND ARE FACING REPRIMAND. SEVERAL NEIGHBORS FILED COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE OFFICERS' CONDUCT WITH INTERNAL AFFAIRS. (H/T - Domelights)

If this is true, then I am truly ashamed of these officers. In my fourteen years on this job, I never considered my co-workers in terms of race, color, or creed. In my opinion, we are all blue, and there are more than enough people in this city that hate our guts [See also: FOX 29 News]. Why would we make trouble for ourselves?

That's a great thought - in theory - but, in reality, racial incidents are far too common in my department, and it comes from all sides. While I would like to believe that this story is either embellished or outright false, my experience tells me otherwise.

Quick story: In the PPD, it is common practice for every member of the department to give in a monetary donation when an officer is killed in the line of duty. (I believe it is $10 per member, but I may be wrong on that. I believe that is what we put up for Chuck Cassidy.) Anyway, when Officer Gary Skerski was assassinated in 2006, there were two detectives that did not submit the donation. And, while the donation is not mandatory, per se, what officer could look themselves in the mirror after refusing such a gesture?

Apparently, these two detectives could, and it still "angries up the blood."

Now, it is not my business to mention the race or gender of the detectives; it's not important. What is important is that after experiencing an incident that should bring the entire department together, there will always be members who want to separate themselves from the group.

If this incident is true, I hope they are dealt with in a timely fashion.