Holly MatkinTulsa, OK – A Tulsa police sergeant has been placed on restrictive duty pending the outcome of an investigation into comments he made during a recent Citizens Police Academy class.
A KUTV employee who attended the Oct. 18 class identified the supervisor who made the statements as Tulsa Police Department (TPD) Sergeant Mike Griffin.
Sgt. Griffin’s comments were also captured in an audio recording, KTUL reported.
“Left versus right, white versus black – that’s all crap,” he said. “It is people who love this country and are willing to follow the law and make changes to the law against people who hate this country and want it to look more like the old Soviet Union or China.”
Sgt. Griffin said he enjoyed dealing with anti-police demonstrators when they began rioting in Tulsa.
“I’m not going to lie to you – it was fun,” he said in the recording. “When the anti-police riots started and they hit Tulsa, this is not Oregon or Seattle. You act retarded here, we will smoke your -ss.”
Sgt. Griffin said it was “beautiful” when rioters began shattering windows during the riots because they were able to send “SWAT boys” in to deal with them.
“Like spanking a bunch of unruly kids,” he said.
The sergeant said it was especially important to note that “90 percent of that crowd” was comprised of white people.
“The dumb white kid that thinks playing video games with purple hair is his life’s goal, he’s the biggest problem,” Sgt. Griffin said. “Nothing is more dangerous to America than a liberal white person.”
"Nothing is more dangerous to America than a liberal white person."
During a recent Citizen Police Academy, a Tulsa Police Sgt. said it "was fun" to "smoke" anti-police violence protestors during the 2020 George Floyd protests and used an ableist slur."It was beautiful." pic.twitter.com/UokzPH9Jpw
— Dylan Goforth (@DGoforth918) October 25, 2022
Complaints regarding the sergeant’s statements soon made their way to TPD officials, KTUL reported.
The department said in a statement that one of its supervisors “expressed several personal opinions” during the Citizens Police Academy “that are not acceptable for any Tulsa Police Officer to present as representatives of the Department.”
TPD Chief Wendell Franklin released a statement about the situation on Tuesday saying the sergeant had been placed on “restricted duty,” pending the outcome of an investigation.
“I am deeply disappointed by recent comments made by a Sergeant to a Citizens Police Academy class,” Chief Franklin wrote, adding that the sergeant’s comments “do not reflect the values” of the TPD.
“I have placed the Sergeant on restricted duty while the circumstances of the incident are investigated,” he said. “I am aware other police personnel may have been present. If the investigation reveals any police personnel failed in their duties, they will be held accountable.”
Sgt. Griffin was presented with the 2022 Police Officer of the Year Award in May, KTUL reported.
