Officer Cuckoo

by digby

Most of you have probably already heard about the police officer in Boston who was suspended for writing an email to a reporter in which he compares Henry Louis Gates to a “jungle monkey” (and then passing it on to his army buddies.)

But have you seen the actual email?

Officer Barrett’s original e-mail

This guy is a psycho and the Boston Police are lucky that when his temper went off he just sent an email instead of shooting up the place. It was only a matter of time.

You’ve noticed, I’m sure, that an awful lot of what he writes sounds like boilerplate radio wingnut. It’s always worried me that so many of these military and police fellows, overseas and at home, listen to that crap. 95% of those who do are perfectly capable of separating out the idiocy from the nonsense and they behave like professionals. But there have to be a few who go off the rails, either with PTSD or their own personal demons.

Of course, officers like this fellow will find out who their allies are when called upon to enforce the law against a right winger. It’s a one way street.

Update: This just in: the officer insists he isn’t a racist. But then racists never think they are, do they? And they get really, really upset when someone say they are.

“I would like to take this opportunity to offer fellow police officers, soldiers and citizens my sincerest apology over the controversial e-mail I authored,” Barrett said on CNN. “I am not a racist. I did not intend any racial bigotry, harm or prejudice in my words. I sincerely apologize that these words have been received as such. I truly apologize to all.”

Fine. Now he needs to explain the rest of his psychotic utterings.

Update: I shouldn’t be flippant about this. PTSD is a serious problem and it’s possible this fellow is suffering from it. This in-depth series from the Colorado Gazette outlining the problems of returning Iraq vets is very sobering and the subject should be a top priority for police departments, many of which hire former and reservist military. (Via Gary Farber)

H/t to bat
.