‘We’re gonna get (expletive) up’: Two Rochester police officers suspended over ‘immature and unprofessional’ radio calls
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Two Rochester police officers are suspended with pay over radio calls made between cars on Sunday. The Rochester Police Department says the calls appear “immature and unprofessional” and there is now an internal investigation.
News10NBC Chief Investigative Reporter Berkeley Brean has a recording of the calls from police headquarters. The radio calls were on one of RPD’s secondary channels used to talk car to car. On Sunday, the conversation was heard on the News10NBC scanner, recorded, and shared with the chief of police.
The calls started just before 5 p.m. Sunday with one that fools a 911 dispatcher about a black male in an RPD recruitment car.
Officer: “I’ve got a black male in a RPD recruitment car going northbound on Ames.”
911 dispatcher: “Security can you… oh, disregard.”
Security: “Yeah, 10-4.”
Officer: “He looks good, he’s wearing a durag.”
Other calls include officers discussing going to Philadelphia to represent RPD, with one saying, “Listen guys, we’re gonna be in Philly representing the Rochester police department man. I’m gonna take a shot for every one of you guys, you know?”
Another responds, “Why do I feel like I’m getting assaulted right now.”
Later an officer says, “Yeah, brother, we’re going to get (expletive) up one of these days so just plan on us being (expletive) up one of these days. Probably be Monday or Tuesday.”
RPD would not say why the officers were going to Philadelphia, although one call mentions recruiting. The rest of the radio calls sound like locker room talk, with officers challenging each other over who can run faster or do more push-ups.
In a statement, RPD said it “prides itself on adhering to the mission statement of Crime Reduction, Service, and Professionalism. Unfortunately, on Tuesday, we received recordings of radio traffic from one of our car-to-car, non-primary radio channels, that captures what appears to be immature and unprofessional behavior that falls short of meeting our mission.”
The officers are suspended with pay until the internal investigation is over. The police union, the Locust Club, said in a statement, “The Locust Club is aware of the situation and has been in touch with the members who are involved. We will continue to protect their rights while cooperating with the internal investigation.”
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