MELBOURNE, Fla. — A Melbourne police officer has been suspended after being accused of saying something inappropriate during a vehicle pursuit.
- Officer accused of making inappropriate comment during pursuit
- Brevard NAACP says Melbourne officer used racial slur
- Melbourne officer under investigation, placed on paid leave
- More Brevard County headlines
A Brevard County-area NAACP group says it was a racial slur.
But at a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Melbourne Police Chief David Gillespie did not give specifics, only saying an audio recording was brought to his attention.
The incident began just after midnight Monday morning, when the officer was responding to a felony battery report in the University Boulevard area.
After finding the suspect's vehicle, a chase began with the driver, who is accused of topping 100 mph.
The officer says the driver, Vince White, lost control of the vehicle several times, and even struck another truck during the chase.
White was taken into custody after running over stop sticks at U.S. Highway 1 and Palm Bay Road.
Melbourne Police isn't saying where the audio of the officer's comments came from, but the redacted dash-cam video of the chase has no audio.
"In all cases, we are going to be accountable, and I will hold people accountable for what we say and what we do," Gillespie said. "I really can't get into it past that."
James Minus, president of the South Brevard branch of the NAACP, says that if the racial slur was said, the officer should publicly apologize.
"Maybe say why he did it, or why he was inclined to do it," Minus said. "I know sometimes police officers get in a rush and their adrenaline flows, but even at that, it shouldn't be said."
Gillespie is looking into whether the audio was redacted intentionally or not.
The officer, whose name hasn't been released, is on paid administrative leave during an internal affairs investigation.
The arrest report says White is charged with cocaine and marijuana possession, DUI, reckless driving, and driving with a suspended license.