Boss leaves over slur before new police office opens

FARRELL, Pa. — A Pennsylvania police boss who utilized a racial slur as a part of a raising support email irrelevant to his police employment has ventured down—before his recently stamped office even started working. Thomas Burke consented to leave Wednesday, Farrell Mayor Olive McKeithan told The (Sharon) Herald (http://bit.ly/21lAUvf ) on Friday. Burke, who is white, was confirmed as the city's new police boss on Nov. 17. He was to begin the employment on Tuesday so the office would be up and running by Jan. 1 to supplant the administrations of a provincial office.

Burke was police boss in the adjacent city of Sharon until resigning in 2007. He utilized the slur as a part of inquiry in April when he was supporting a perusing related pledge drive supported by the guardian educator association of a grade school there.

Burke made the remark on the email before sending it to around 40 individuals. He utilized the slur when saying dark individuals in Sharon "gotta figure out how to peruse."

Burke recognized making the comment amid an open expression of remorse Monday, saying he was "genuinely sad."

McKeithan, who like generally 50% of the city's 5,000 inhabitants is dark, at first said she upheld keeping Burke as boss.

"I have known and worked with him for a long time and regard and appreciate his commitment to the group," McKeithan wrote in the past explanation of backing. "Until you become more acquainted with a man's character, you can't pass judgment on him by irregular the-sleeve comment, or else would we not need to judge every single white peopl as similarly liable?"

The chairman told the daily paper she requested Burke's abdication subsequent to counseling with different authorities.

"I inquired as to whether he would venture down on the grounds that I thought it would be best for the group," she said. "He said, 'yes.'"

Burke did not give back a call to the daily paper and The Associated Press couldn't instantly find a working telephone number for him Saturday.

Farrell, a city around 65 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, has been watched by a local office that is disbanding.Associated Press