Authorities are investigating a black police officer’s allegation that a biased white NYPD sergeant called him “boy” on several occasions, reports the Daily News.
Officer Robert Stokes filed a complaint with the department’s Office of Equal Employment Opportunity a few weeks ago, charging Sgt. Sean McLaine with using the racial slur multiple times as he sent Stokes on assignment from their Brooklyn stationhouse, the paper says.
“He told Stokes, ‘Be a good boy – okay, boy?” a source told the News.
Stokes told McLaine he couldn’t speak to him like that, and later filed the report with the EEO.
McLaine has been placed on modified duty while the complaint is reviewed. His lawyer, Andrew Quinn, told the News the officers had a disagreement, but race was not a factor.
Quinn said Stokes reprimanded McLaine for using the sergeant’s name in a report when he did not participate in the case. When Stokes asked why McLaine had to treat him like a child, the sergeant responded, “Well, then be a good little boy and do your prisoner transport,” Quinn said.
Norman Siegal, Stokes’ attorney, said that calling a black police officer a “boy” was unacceptable no matter the context.
The precinct’s commanding officer did not respond to the News’ request for comment.
