Corrections & Clarifications: A prior version of this article as well as information on a video misattributed the source of the database of officer Facebook posts. The Plain View Project examined the accounts.

One officer described his neighbors as "ghetto." Another said the Quran should be banned because it offends him. A third police officer condoned using violence.

These are among the Facebook posts written by Phoenix police officers on their personal accounts.

The Plain View Project, launched by Philadelphia lawyer Emily Baker-White, created a database of public Facebook posts and comments made by current and former police officers from several jurisdictions across the United States, including Phoenix. The database shows hundreds of officers across the country posting racist or misogynistic statements or condoning violence on their Facebook accounts.

The project examined the accounts of about 2,900 police officers from eight departments across the country, including Phoenix. It reviewed the accounts of an additional 600 retired police officers from the same departments.

It found 179 questionable posts from 97 current and former Phoenix officers. Many endorsed violence, in some cases against Mexicans, Muslims, women and criminal defendants.

BuzzFeed News and the nonprofit news organization Injustice Watch initially reported the story.

'Good day for a choke hold'

Reuben Carver III, who has been with the department since 2002, wrote a Facebook post on March 16, 2011, that said, "Its a good day for a choke hold."

Carver wrote a post on Nov. 6, 2012, that he would shoot a baton "straight up his A**" if he ran into a Black Panther Party member or a neo-Nazi at a polling station "trying to intimidate voters."

The Phoenix Police Department conducted an internal investigation into Carver. But investigators didn't find any wrongdoing.

Carver's "name was brought to our attention earlier in the year when the publication was researching their article," Phoenix Sgt. Vince Lewis said in a statement. "This particular inquiry was reviewed by our Professional Standards Bureau and did not rise to the level of misconduct on the part of the employee."

97 Phoenix officers identified

The database identified 75 currently employed Phoenix police officers and another 22 retired Phoenix police officers who posted offensive speech.

Lewis said the department is aware of other officers' Facebook posts that were noted in the database.

"The department is aware of the remaining report now available to us online and will be looking into other potential misconduct by current employees," he said.

Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams issued the following statement late Monday:

"I became aware of the entire website today which alleges misconduct by current and former Phoenix Police officers. The language and terminology used in the posts are embarrassing and disturbing. They completely contradict how the Phoenix Police Department should speak about the members of our community or others,'' Williams said.

"Nor are these posts in keeping with our mission and values as city of Phoenix employees. I have high expectations for the men and women who work with me. When potential misconduct is brought to my attention, it is immediately addressed. I have asked our Professional Standards Bureau to look further into this matter,'' she said.

Viri Hernandez, founder and director of Poder in Action, a Maryvale-based advocacy group that has focused on policing issues, said the database shows the biased culture that exists within the Phoenix Police Department.

"We have mixed feelings. One of them is frustration and anger because this is what they think and what they say. And police officers say this all the time and get away with it," she said. "But we're glad this is getting the attention that it wasn't getting before."

The department's social-media policy tells employees to be cautious of their "speech and related activity on social media sites" because it "may be considered a reflection upon their position, and, in some instances, this Department."

The policy does not include any required punishment for officers who may make controversial comments online.

'Ghetto neighbors' and 'Gay Muslim husband'

Besides the Phoenix Police Department, the publications also examined police departments in St. Louis; Philadelphia; Dallas; York, Pennsylvania; Twin Falls, Idaho; Denison, Texas; and Lake County, Florida.

The Plain View project created a database that shows the Facebook posts are "replete with racist imagery and memes, and in some cases long, vitriolic exchanges involving multiple officers."

Phoenix Officer Ryan Nielsen, a 15-year veteran, wrote a Facebook post in March 2010 complaining about his "ghetto neighbors" having a party and making a lot of noise.

In the comment exchange with someone else, Nielsen wrote that he planned to buy a shotgun but that his AR — presumably referring to the AR-15 firearm — would help protect his house. He also said in the comment section that he may call the Sheriff's Office and report the residence may be a drop house, a term used by law enforcement to describe a property where smugglers house undocumented immigrants as they await payments.

Officer David Pallas, who has been with the department since 1987, uploaded a meme on June 2016 critical of the Obamas. The meme depicts Michelle Obama with a quote that says, "Every single day I wake up in a house that was built by slaves..." Underneath it, there's a picture of famed actor John Wayne with a caption that says, "THEN GET OUT! AND TAKE YOUR GAY MUSLIM HUSBAND WITH YOU."

That same month, Pallas posted another meme depicting the Quran with a caption that reads: "HOW ABOUT BANNING THIS. IT OFFENDS ME!!"

Phoenix Police Officer Joshua Ankert wrote, "CONGRATULATIONS GEORGE ZIMMERMAN!!! Thank you for cleaning up our community one thug at a time," in July 2013, the day after a jury in Florida acquitted Zimmerman of murder in the killing of Trayvon Martin.

Phoenix police is predominantly white

Nearly 73% of the department's 2,937 sworn officers are white, while about 19% are Hispanic and 4% are African American, department data shows. That's compared with a city that, according to U.S. Census data, has a population that is about 42% white, 43% Hispanic and 7% African American.

In July 2018, the Phoenix Police Department received from the city $450,000 to have its officers undergo implicit bias training.

The training started last fall and was scheduled to last a year at $150,000. It could be extended for an additional two years, as needed, with a total possible price of $450,000.

Instructors are teaching officers about implicit bias, what causes it, how it affects the community, why it is problematic and how to be aware of one's own bias on the job.

"The Phoenix Police Department has an immediate and critical operational need to provide implicit bias and cultural competence training to police officers," officials wrote in their presentation materials for council. "Being aware of implicit bias and having the tools will strengthen the relationship between the police department and the community."

Uriel Garcia covers public-safety issues in Arizona. Reach him at uriel.garcia@azcentral.com. Follow him on Twitter @ujohnnyg.

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