TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A Florida Highway Patrol trooper and another Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles employee have been fired after posting racist remarks about protesters.
The employees "recently made hateful, racist and threatening remarks" directed at protesters, "one on social media and the other through text messages," the department announced Tuesday on Twitter.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has fired two employees for hateful, racist, and threatening remarks. pic.twitter.com/loiF6M9bdo
— FLHSMV (@FLHSMV) June 2, 2020
Although the department didn't name the employees, state Sen. Jason Pizzo, D-Miami, tweeted that he had spoken to Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Terry L. Rhodes about a Tallahassee-based employee who was outed on social media. Pizzo said Rhodes confirmed that William Henderson was fired, along with a state trooper "for a separate but similarly hateful and vitriolic message."
I just spoke with Exec. Dir. Rhodes at @FLHSMV, who confirmed that Henderson was terminated yesterday, along with a FHP trooper for a separate but similarly hateful and vitriolic message. pic.twitter.com/Jv0If0ogV5
— Jason Pizzo (@senpizzo) June 2, 2020
"This conduct is not in any way reflective of the troopers and employees of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles," the department's tweet said. "The men and women of this department have been entrusted to serve and protect all residents and visitors of Florida, and this abhorrent and reprehensible conduct will not be tolerated."
