- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

Florida Cops Caught Using African-American Mugshots for Target Practice

© SNAPSHOT/NBC6South Florida police officers are using mugshots of African-American men for target practice.
South Florida police officers are using mugshots of African-American men for target practice. - Sputnik International
Subscribe
North Miami Beach Police Department is under fire for using mugshots of real-life African-American suspects for target practice.

When Florida National Guard Sgt. Valerie Deant arrived at a shooting range in the city of Medley, she was shocked and devastated to see her brother’s picture with holes all over it. 

“I was like 'why is my brother being used for target practice?'" Deant asked.  “There were like gunshots there, and I cried a couple of times.”

It was Woody Deant’s mug shot taken 15 years ago, after he was arrested for being involved in a drag race that left two people dead. 

His picture was among five other black men’s, riddled by bullets when used as targets by North Miami Police Officers. 

Deant and her fellow soldiers were at the Medley Firearms Training Center for their annual weapons qualifications training when they discovered the bullet-riddled images left behind by North Miami police officers who used the range before them.

© SNAPSHOT/NBC6North Miami Police Department Chief Scott Dennis defends the use of photos of real people for target practice.
North Miami Police Department Chief Scott Dennis defends the use of photos of real people for target practice. - Sputnik International
North Miami Police Department Chief Scott Dennis defends the use of photos of real people for target practice.
The city of Medley owns the shooting range and leases it to law enforcement agencies in the area, however, it does not supply the targets.    

North Miami Police Major Kathy Katerman told HuffingtonPost that the department has multiple lineups for target practice.  Some feature only white men, others are all Latino and one features photos of only women.

"The public thinks there should be one woman and one white man and one black, but that's not really what test is about," Katerman said. "We have targets of all races."

Police Chief Scott Dennis told NBC South Florida that officers used poor judgment. However, no one would be punished.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала