CINCINNATI — The community is speaking out after a white Cincinnati police officer used a racial slur during a rage-filled episode triggered by traffic and a teenager who gave her the middle finger. The officer’s body camera captured the whole thing.

On Monday, interim Police Chief Teresa Theetge signed off on a review of an internal investigation into the incident involving Officer Rose Valentino.

A photo of Officer Rose Valentino. (Photo courtesy City of Cincinnati)

It happened on April 5 after Valentino, a 14-year veteran of the force, noticed several vehicles lining the street waiting to pick up students at Western Hills University High School on Cincinnati’s west side, according to the investigation files and Valentino's body camera.

To get the drivers to move, Valentino turned on the lights and siren on her police vehicle, the review noted. But investigators wrote in the review that when the drivers didn’t move, Valentino became “increasingly angry.”

Turning on the sirens activated Valentino’s body camera and vehicle camera, according to a CPD spokesperson.

A Black teenager, described as roughly 16 years old, then walked by Valentino’s vehicle and gave her the middle finger, the report reads. Valentino told investigators that “infuriated” her.

In response, Valentino went on a vulgar tirade. “Fucking dumb! Oooh, I fucking hate them so much. Fuck god! I hate this fucking world. I hate it,” she’s heard on camera saying as she rolled up the window on her police vehicle.

Then, under her breath, Valentino muttered, “Fucking (N-words), I fucking hate them,” as she punched the steering wheel, per the report.

She turned off her body cam shortly thereafter.

The review shows the recording came to light because of a discovery request, or a search for records as part of a lawsuit or criminal case. It's unclear at this time how that search relates to this incident.

The city of Cincinnati suspended Valentino’s police powers, pending a disciplinary hearing, interim City Manager John Curp said in a statement. "Officer Valentino will not be on city streets in uniform, wearing a badge, or carrying a firearm," he added.

'We will not allow officers that use hate speech to police our neighborhoods'

While the city and police department await that outcome, community leaders are asking for more to be done to address this situation to prevent future incidents. 

“Not only did this officer use racial slurs, but her language is also undeniably hate speech. Saying ‘N-words… I hate them’ could not be more clear,” said Christie Kuhns, Esq., president and CEO of Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio. “Directing this venom toward a Black school child further confirms that she is not fit to protect and serve.” 

ULGSO has a longstanding commitment from the city of Cincinnati to work collaboratively to build “trust within local communities,” Kuhns said. 

The organization hosted the Community Partnering Center in 2002 to create programs aimed at bringing together CPD officers and the residents of the neighborhoods they serve. 

The Community Problem Oriented Policing teams focus on relationship building and community engagement. The center was born of Cincinnati’s Collaborative Agreement, which became a national model for community-police relations.

“We will not allow officers that use hate speech to police our neighborhoods,” Kuhns added.

The Cincinnati NAACP President Joe Mallory denounced the “abhorrent and hateful comments” made by Valentino.

“This officer does not deserve the privilege of serving the citizens of Cincinnati,” he said. “Her true bias was exposed, and she should not be a police officer.”

Mallory and local activist T. Nicole Taylor hosted a digital town hall Thursday called “I am not your N-word.” The nearly hour-long broadcast on social media focused on Valentino and other issues related to police-community relations.

Taylor noted the news of the investigation came to light just days after the city hosted a week’s worth of events celebrating “Black excellence” including Cincinnati Music Festival. 

“All these people coming in from out of town… to end it with this type of news is very, very disappointing, to say the least,” said Taylor, chair of the Cincinnati NAACP’s criminal justice board.

Part of Taylor’s anger stems from the fact Valentino hasn’t yet apologized. Taylor said the officer isn’t taking responsibility and is instead blaming others. 

In the investigation report, Valentino claimed desensitization to the N-word caused by years of hearing it in music and “hearing people talk on the street.”

“The frequent exposure had allowed the slur to slip into her vernacular,” the report reads. Valentino expressed surprise that the word “slipped out” in this context.

Valentino described the incident to investigators as a “mental episode,” one brought on by stresses of the job. The report mentions she voluntarily sought mental health counseling.

In the report, Valentino acknowledges her actions and words were inappropriate. She also said those words don’t reflect her opinions about African Americans. 

She told investigators she doesn’t have “any racial biases” that have affected her work. She believes with continued treatment she can be an “effective police officer.”

Regardless of why she said what she did, Valentino’s behavior was “worrisome” to Taylor. “Even the smallest thing” (a teenager giving her the middle finger) set Valentino off, Taylor said. She wondered what Valentino would do in a more intense situation. 

“(Valentino) is in a complete position of power when it comes to interacting with residents,” Taylor said. “She could take someone’s freedom. She could take someone’s life.”

In 2019, Valentino was one of three Cincinnati police officers who detained a Black real estate agent  and prospective homebuyer, also Black, at gunpoint after a call reported a break-in at a home to 911, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer, a Spectrum News partner.

The Enquirer reported the city apologized and announced a $151,000 settlement shortly after the filing of a federal lawsuit.

Why no 'zero tolerance' policy?

Mallory doesn’t believe it’s OK for anyone to get away with saying the N-word even once while on duty serving the city. He and Taylor both questioned whether the city should give “second chances” to employees who use hate speech.

The city of Cincinnati has dealt with situations like these before. Former Chief Eliot Isaac and the city are in the middle of a federal lawsuit involving two other Cincinnati officers caught on camera using racial slurs, per the Enquirer. 

The officers — one white, one Black — claim the city gave them different punishments for the same offense.

Partly because of that lawsuit, the city changed its administrative regulation related to non-discrimination, which covers things like hate speech and harassment. The ruling mandated new language and penalties, including a minimum 40-hour suspension and specialized training for a first offense. A second offense would lead to dismissal.

Mayor Aftab Pureval didn’t mince words in his comments on the situation. He was “appalled” to see Valentino display such “hateful, angry, and racist language.” 

“Our law enforcement represents all of this city, and Black Cincinnatians deserve to feel safe knowing they will be treated with mutual respect,” he said.

Pureval added that a “fair and complete process needs to play out” in a review of the matter. “But someone demonstrating this behavior has no place in a world-class organization like CPD,” he added.

In his statement, Curp said the city holds all of its employees, and "especially our sworn police officers, to high standards."

“I expect CPD to thoroughly investigate this matter and recommend discipline in strict accordance with the city’s disciplinary procedures,” Curp said of the video he called “disturbing.”

Further action won’t take place right away, Curp said, because of a mandated contractual requirement as part of the city’s collective bargaining agreement with Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge 69.

“The Fraternal Order of Police represents every Cincinnati Police Officer when they’re involved in the disciplinary process as outlined in our collective bargaining agreement,” according to a statement from the FOP. “Every officer is entitled to a fair hearing and that’s what we’ll ensure happens.”

The statement from the FOP added that, “No Cincinnati police officer should use the N-word or any other racial slur and anyone who does is wrong.”