Terrance W. Gainer

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D.C. Police: E-Mail Controversy
With Terrance W. Gainer
D.C. Executive Assistant Chief of Police
Wednesday, March 28, 2001; 3:30 p.m. EST

D.C. police officers have sent hundreds of offensive e-mail messages on their patrol car computers and an internal affairs unit is investigating. "I'm sickened that this type of language and behavior has infected our department," said Executive Assistant Chief of Police Terrance W. Gainer. "They embarrassed themselves, insulted this department and sullied our profession. That type of conduct ... will not be tolerated in this agency."

Gainer will be online Wednesday, March 28, at 2:30 p.m. EST.

Gainer was appointed executive assistant chief of the Metropolitan Police Department in May of 1998. He has worked in law enforcement for over three decades. As executive assistant chief, he serves as second in command of the 4,200-member department, overseeing operational services carried by three Regional Opeations Commands and the Special Services Branch.

A transcript follows.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

Washington, DC: How did chief Ramsey and yourself learn of the D.C. police e-mail, and how is this along with other police issues are going to be handle?.

washingtonpost.com: The e-mail controversy is detailed in an article, "D.C. Police Probe Blue E-Mail."

Terrance W. Gainer: Chief Ramsey had asked for an audit about 3 weeks ago. I saw the first results of that audit on Thursday and brought it to the chief with a rather ashen face. From there, we immediately decided to launch a confidential investigation. Regretfully, that investigation was compromised when some of the documents were given to Fox5. We condemn the activity, we are restating some of our fundamental policies, we will hold people accountable, but most importantly, we need to sit down with our employees at every rank and try to discuss the core issues -- why do people use language like that, why do people hold homophobic views, why are people sexist or racist? And why do some African-Americans feel that they can call others the N-word? If it's so ugly, why do we do this to ourselves?

Herndon, VA: I was very upset to hear the comments from the Fraternal Order of Police. It does not matter that the officers may not have realized that their communications were monitored and recorded. That IS NOT an excuse from the comments that were allegedly made during the postings. What concerns me is that these officers are allowing prejudical feelings to affect their jobs. What do you feel is an appropriate next step to combat this?

Terrance W. Gainer: As I just discussed, there are steps we are taking and need to take. I too am disappointed that the union leadership misses the point. It's not whether you will get caught, it's what you do and say that the real value and courage of how we're measured is what we do and say when someone's not looking, not what we do when they are looking. The majority of our officers are good, hard-working people trying to raise families, have a nice house and do a good job, so we need to identify those who don't live up to our expectations and either turn their hearts or turn their ankles, so we'll know them by their limp.

New York, NY: Sure these e-mails are not pretty. No one disputes that. But these are private communications between individuals, just like conversations at the water cooler. The only difference is that these e-mails are capable of interception when specifically searched for in the database. What ever happened to freedom of speech?

Terrance W. Gainer: I respectfully disagree. The radios belong to the police dept., the computers belong to the police dept., and our officers need to be out on preventive patrol, not engaged in racist or sexist or homophobic diatribes. Every police officer has some basic constitutional rights, but we have high expectations of what their behavior needs to be, what their attitude ought to be and how they carry themselves. So you can exercise your first amendment rights in your living room or on your back porch, but not when you're wearing your MPD uniform and a star or a badge. Frankly, I don't know where in the constitution it says that you can be a professed racist or sexist or homophobe when the public is paying you to be a sentinel in the night.

NW DC: Does the police dept. offer any sort of sensitivity training to educate its officers about what language and behavior is considered objectionable?

Terrance W. Gainer: Yes we do. They have that type of training as part of the recruit training, we do it as part of our PSA (patrol service area) meetings, but apparently we haven't done enough of it for some. I think the other point is that I do believe our department is reflective and is chosen from the community. And I don't think that anybody believes that we've settled -- in the United States or in Washington -- issues about racism, sexism or sexual orientation. So we need to address them head-on. I think a point here is, the police dept. isn't ducking its responsibility here. We can put warnings on the computer, we can audit messages and we can discipline people who violate the rules, but this issue runs deeper, and I think we need to do better as a people, let alone as a department. I think most people are pretty uncomfortable talking about race and racial issues. I know talking about sexual orientation and sex in the workplace definitely gives people the chills. So maybe we can all use this as a building block for improving our interpersonal relationships.

DC: Do you think any criminal convictions could be appealed based on officers' prejudices revealed in the e-mail?

Terrance W. Gainer: I think it's possible -- frighteningly possible, but I hope that's not the case. If I was a defense attorney, I'd certainly be raising the issue.

DC: First, I'd like to thank you and Chief Ramsey for acknowledging that the "F-word" is as ugly and destructive as the "N-word." The Post (typically) downplayed the issue of homophobia by only stating in its headline, "Racist, Vulgar Messages Sent on Patrol Car Computers." In the text we discover, as a side-note, that homophobic slurs occurred as well. I suspect homophobia is a far-more prevalent bigotry in the department than racism, and one that is more likely to be openly expressed and accepted through the ranks. I'm wondering how many openly gay officers there are in department, and whether they were the subjects or recipients of any of the messages you are reviewing.

Terrance W. Gainer: I don't know how many openly gay and lesbian and transsexual officers we have. I do know we have a unit that Chief Ramsey began about a year ago as a liaison with that community. I don't know enough to know whether anybody in the department was specifically targeted, but my preliminary reading of some of the transmissions does indicate a wanton disregard of a person's right to their own sexual orientation.

Fairfax, VA: I'm saddened that such attitudes persist in our society as well, but I am not so naieve as to be surprised by this. From the tone of your responses, it sounds like these e-mails were some sort of revelation to the department. Is the department really so out of touch with its officers that it took this e-mail system to make you aware of the attitudes and language of many, many of your employees?

Terrance W. Gainer: As a matter of fact, after 33 years in law enforcement, I am seldom surprised by anything, but I continue to be disappointed. So while I was well aware that members of this department, like members of society in general, hold views that are outside of the mainstream of the society, I didn't think it would be this blatant. I just didn't think they would disregard common courtesy and basic self-worth, so I'm disappointed. Frankly, the day that I expect this kind of thing, and I'm not disappointed or shocked, probably means I should step out of the business.

Washington, DC: Now that we know that these types of actions are going on in the police department, how do you expect the citizens of Washington, D.C. to rely on the police? We put our trust in them to protect and serve, but is this the way to protect and serve? What steps are being taken to ease tension in the community now that the citizens are now aware that they are being racially profiled?

Terrance W. Gainer: One of the steps is to communicate with the public like we're doing right now. To communicate with other agencies on this investigation, the Justice Dept. or the FBI, to lay ourselves open to this type of scrutiny and reinforce the good work done by the majority of officers in an attempt to regain the trust of the people who feel violated by these few officers. And to try to put this in context, we are looking at 4 million transactions. Only hundreds -- painfully, hundreds -- are revealing the souls of these individuals. And I'm not ready to give up on them, our officers, any more than I'm ready to give up on the public when I see what they are capable of doing to each other on the streets.

Wash DC: Why would any officer who had referred to me by any of those racist and bigoted terms still have a job? Why wouldn't that be grounds for automatic and unambiguous dismissal?

Terrance W. Gainer: It may very well be, so let us complete the investigation, including hearing the officer's side of the story, and Chief Ramsey will take swift, appropriate action.

Berkley, CA: Would it be possible to install filtering software in the e-mail system which would filter out certain offending/derogatory terms and thus discourage the use of the e-mail system in this manner? Or alternatively, could such messages be immediately "flagged" for review by superiors? Are these measures being considered?

Terrance W. Gainer: I suspect it is technologically possible, and we are considering a variety of alternatives, though that technology or alternatives really only mask the underlying issues. So we have to get beyond the "I Gotcha" phase of this and really focus on what makes people tick. Is this a hiring issue, is it training, is it cultural, is it the sign of the times? I just believe we're capable of so much more, and we're going to keep working towards higher goals.

Washington: The article stated that up to 10 percent of DC police officers participated in sending offensive messages. Will it be practical to discipline hundreds of officers? On another note, will the department institute any new screening procedures for applicants, to ensure that they do not display any inappropriate attitudes or biases?

Terrance W. Gainer: As to the latter first: We do have vigorous recruiting standards now, and we do rigorous psychological testing, so we try to avoid hiring the wrong person and try to focus on hiring the right person. On the first part: We are not going to be deterred by the size of those who need to be disciplined. We're going to do what's right because it's right. If that means that a lot of officers are disciplined or lose their jobs because of it, we'll be a better department because of it and they'll learn the consequences of their actions. You know, there's a saying on the street that's pretty applicable here: Don't do the crime if you can't do the time. One final thing: We'd rather have fewer good officers than a lot of mediocre officers.

Washington, DC: Is there any way residents can access these messages to see if they have been named in any of them?

Terrance W. Gainer: There is not. It's an ongoing investigation, and I didn't see anybody named in the hundreds that I looked at. The hate of some of these officers did not seem to be that specific.

Washington, DC: I'm a DC Police Officer assigned to patrol and am truly sickened by what those other officers have done. No racist should be allowed to wear a police officer's uniform. I find it equeally disgusting that the FOP will attempt to protect the racist officers from whatever disciplinary action is taken. What will the department do to remove these officers?

Terrance W. Gainer: I appreciate your comments, and it's going to be tough for all of us to weather this for a while, because it insults the uniform we wear and what we stand for.
We will conduct thorough investigations, we'll have hearings where appropriate, and issue discipline if it's called for.
You hang in there, officer, because we need you in this department and the citizens need people like you.

washingtonpost.com: Thanks for joining us today, Executive Asst. Chief Gainer.

Terrance W. Gainer: I appreciate the opportunity to try to explain what's going on in the department and where we intend to go with this and to reassure the public that this is a good department with good people. Some have gone haywire, but we'll either try to straighten them out or get rid of them.

washingtonpost.com:

That was our last question today. Thanks to Assistant Chief Terrance Gainer, and to everyone who joined us.

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