'Too white': City's police chief fired after just 6 months over allegations he unfairly favored minorities for hires, promotions



After just six months on the job, Larry Scirotto — the first openly gay police chief in Fort Lauderdale, Florida — was fired over allegations he hired and promoted based on an improper minority-first philosophy, the Associated Press reported.

What are the details?

An investigation into bias complaints found that the 48-year-old Scirotto — who's from a mixed-race background — once said a conference room wall of photos was “too white” and said, “I’m gonna change that,” the AP noted. The photos depicted the department’s command staff, WSVN-TV reported.

The investigation also found Scirotto — a former assistant chief in Pittsburgh — asked “which one is blacker?” when considering two candidates for a promotion, the outlet said. Scirotto denied asking that question, the station noted.

The AP added that the investigation quoted Scirotto as saying he intended to “consider diversity at every opportunity.”

“Overall, there is a very divisive atmosphere within the department based on the perception the chief is intentionally using race, gender, and sexual orientation as attributes necessary for promotions,” the report concluded, according to the AP. “While the goal to diversify is an important and laudable goal it must be accomplished in a legally permissible manner.”

Assistant Chief Luis Alvarez will be acting police chief, the outlet added. WSVN said Alvarez is the fifth person to hold the position since 2020.

What did the fired police chief have to say?

Scirotto said his firing was unfair and challenged specific allegations.

In regard to his "too white" comment, he told WSVN that it was taken out of context, and that "the bottom row [of photos] ... was consisting of a majority of white men and a white woman, and the statement was, ‘How do I convince our community that we are a diverse community when this is what they will see, and we speak about diversity and inclusion?'”

What did the city manager have to say?

City Manager Chris Lagerbloom on Friday told the station there are "certain lawful ways to allow ... diversity to happen, and in this case, the investigative report indicated we didn’t quite follow the law in how we were working toward those diverse positions.”

Former Police Chief Larry Scirotto Speaks Outyoutu.be

Another accusation

Scirotto also was accused of working as a college basketball referee while on the clock — and getting paid — as police chief, WSVN said.

An interesting twist is that the city auditor was fired for investigating the referee accusation without the city’s permission, the station said, adding that the city auditor said in a memo that the Scirotto "was paid by the City for these unauthorized schedule adjustments, totaling an estimated 55.50 hours.”

Anything else?

Scirotto also told WSVN the minority candidates he promoted were all deserving and "exceptional," noting they "excelled in every level of the organization. They deserved to be promoted, and by the way, they happened to be minority. It wasn’t because they were minority.”

Fired Fort Lauderdale auditor releases memo about ex-police chiefyoutu.be

Black principal allegedly segregated Atlanta elementary students according to race — and black parent files federal complaint against school



Kila Posey told WSB-TV she met last year with the principal of Mary Lin Elementary School in Atlanta simply because she wanted her child with a teacher she thought would be a good fit.

But Posey revealed stunning news she said she received from Principal Sharyn Briscoe, the station noted.

'That's not one of the black classes'

"She said that's not one of the black classes, and I immediately said, 'What does that mean?' I was confused. I asked for more clarification," Posey told WSB. "I was like, 'We have those in the school?' And she proceeded to say that, 'Yes. I have decided that I'm going to place all of the black students in two classes.'"

That's right. Segregated classrooms according to race. Black students in two classrooms with two teachers, and white students in six classrooms with six teachers, the station said.

Kila Posey stands for Strength and Leadership! We need to stop talking (or posting) and actually start doing! It's… https://t.co/m9g29p33o1

— Rerants (@Rerants1) 1628689352.0

Posey — who is vice president of the parent teacher association, Black Enterprise reported — was stunned, the station said.

"First, it was just disbelief that I was having this conversation in 2020 with a person that looks just like me — a black woman," Posey told WSB. "It's segregating classrooms. You cannot segregate classrooms. ... You can't do it."

She added to the station that "we've lost sleep ... trying to figure out why would a person do this."

Posey told WSB she insisted to Briscoe that her child be placed in a class with white students — and said Briscoe told her that her child would be isolated.

"I explained to her she shouldn't be isolated or punished because I'm unwilling to go along with your illegal and unethical practice," Posey added to the station.

More from WSB:

The Poseys recorded a call with an assistant principal where they complained about the segregated classes. The administrator confirmed it was the principal's decision and seemed to offer an explanation for why the classes were set up this way.

"I just wish we had more black kids, and then some of them are in a class because of the services that they need," the administrator said on the recording, according to the station.

Federal complaint filed

In the end, Posey filed a discrimination complaint with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights, WSB reported.

Posey's attorney Sharese Shields told the station that the segregated classrooms at the elementary school are a violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Shields noted to WSB that the law states that "you cannot treat one group of people differently based upon race, and that is what is going on at Mary Lin."

What did the school district have to say?

Atlanta Public Schools offered a statement to the station in regard to Posey's allegations, which stated, "Atlanta public schools does not condone the assigning of students to classrooms based on race. The district conducted a review of the allegations. Appropriate actions were taken to address the issue and the matter was closed."

WSB said the district did not indicate the nature of the actions it said it took.

But Posey isn't done, telling the station she wants the principal and her administration removed for allowing segregated classes.

"My community, had they known about this, would probably be extremely upset," Posey told WSB. "Not just the black parents but also white parents."

The station said the Poseys are waiting for the U.S. Department of Education to conclude its investigation.