Newark Cop Fired For Allegedly Racist Facebook Post

The Newark Police Department has fired a 23-year veteran of the force after he allegedly took part in a racist Facebook exchange aimed at Mayor Ras Baraka.

The incident first came under investigation in July, when screenshots surfaced of an alleged social media conversation between an active duty Newark police lieutenant and a retired city police officer.

• See related article: Racist Facebook Post About Newark Mayor Under Investigation

The thread opens with a photo of a gorilla alongside a caption that reads: “Lmfao....How’s your mayor?”

“Exactly!” replied the other writer.

Baraka - the son of famed writer and social critic Amiri Baraka - is African-American.

On Thursday, the Newark Police Department announced that it had fired 23-year veteran Lt. Anthony Caruso in connection with the alleged social media conversation.

“As we continue to improve our community relations and to develop police legitimacy, we will not condone the type of behavior that Lt. Caruso displayed while referring to a member of our city administration as a gorilla,” Police Director Eugene Venable said in a statement.

Photo of Ras Baraka by the City of Newark