ANTIOCH, Calif. (AP) — The Antioch Police Department in the San Francisco Bay Area, currently under federal investigation for racist and sexist texts, has reached an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice to bring in a consultant to overhaul its policies, procedures, and training programs. The DOJ announced the agreement on Friday, revealing that the Antioch Police Department and the City of Antioch will collaborate to select an expert law enforcement consultant approved by the DOJ. This consultant will be tasked with reviewing and revising the department’s protocols related to nondiscriminatory policing, use of force, recruitment and advancement practices, disciplinary measures, and other relevant areas over a five-year period.
U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey for the Northern District of California emphasized the critical role of public trust in effective law enforcement, stating, “Law enforcement is only effective when it inspires public confidence.”
The offensive text messages circulated within the Antioch Police Department between 2019 and 2022, coming to light in 2023 as part of an ongoing federal inquiry into the department’s activities. These messages, while heavily redacted, contained derogatory, racist, homophobic, and sexually explicit content. Officers were found boasting about fabricating evidence and engaging in violence against suspects. Additionally, they used dehumanizing language to refer to women, shared images of gorillas, and freely employed racial slurs.
In response to the revelations, the city of Antioch issued a press statement on Friday acknowledging the disturbing nature of the texts and the need for accountability and transparency within the Police Department. The statement read, “The actions that led to this investigation were unacceptable and represent significant failures. Our commitment to creating a transparent, accountable, and community-focused Police Department remains steadfast.”
With a population of approximately 115,000 residents located about 45 miles east of San Francisco, Antioch has undergone demographic shifts over the past three decades, transitioning from a predominantly white community to a more diverse population.
