Pennsylvania cop placed on leave after video shows him, him using the slur, watch. >> Speaker 2: What's your badge number, sir? >> Speaker 2: 731. >> Speaker 2: 731. What's your name? >> Speaker 2: Wheeler. >> Speaker 2: Wheeler what? >> Speaker 2: Wheeler. >> Speaker 2: What's your first name? >> Speaker 2: No. [00:00:16] >> Speaker 2: Hold up, bro. I ain't saying nothing. I ain't saying nothing, that word. All right. >> Speaker 1: So in a previous segment, you heard Rayyvana say, it's not worth it, right? [00:00:32] So if you were to get into an argument with someone who is not a police officer and they call you the n word and you call them back the n word and that makes you angry and then whatever. I mean, I heard a lot of tussling after that. We couldn't see, but I seemed to be a lot of tussling. [00:00:48] And then somebody got taken into custody. It's not worth it. And I'm not even talking to the citizen who has a right to speak how they want to speak, okay? I didn't see the citizen assault the officer. Well, we'll give you more. Penn Live reporting. [00:01:03] Williamsport police officer Brandon Wheeler. There's your close up. Has been placed on administrative leave after using the n word during a confrontation with a black man early morning Sunday, December 31, that a witness recorded with his phone. [00:01:21] Two videos showing the interaction were posted on Facebook by Davon Thompson. Pretty good camera work. Mayor Derek Slaughter, the city's first black mayor, said what Officer Brandon Wheeler said was totally inappropriate. [00:01:36] Police Chief Justin Snyder called the use of the word unfortunate. Really, Justin? Is that, is that what we're going to go with, quote, unfortunate? I don't know if I want you to be my chief, but you're not. You're in Williamsport, PA. And that there will be an internal investigation into the incident. [00:01:54] What are you investigating? The full incident? Because I mentioned an arrest. We'll get to it. Or the use of the word, because the video shows the word and you say he's not supposed to be doing that. All right, now here comes this. The district attorney, long face. [00:02:12] New Lycoming County District Attorney Thomas A. Marino also commented on the incident, saying, quote, no question was a critically inappropriate word to use. I don't like the word inappropriate. Want you to get out of thesaurus, find a different synonym for inappropriate. [00:02:31] I saw a lot of conduct that could be addressed here, by the way. He said he recognizes it can get frustrating on the street for the citizens, too, by the way, but said police must make sure they have control of themselves at all times. [00:02:47] We in law enforcement are held to a higher standard. You are? Are you really held to a higher standard? Marino said this case indicates a need for sensitivity training or retraining. That right there got me messed up. I have to gather myself for a minute. [00:03:04] More sensitivity training, retraining. Penn Live, thank you for that reporting. The incident occurred at West Third and William streets outside a downtown night spot in the Lycoming County city. It's unclear what happened to prompt the video recording, but [00:03:22] it starts with a man off camera asking Wheeler for his batch number. Wheeler calmly responded, seven three one. Gave his last name, Wheeler, when asked, but he would not give his first name. Why not? This is silliness. Wheeler, what? The off camera man asked before pushing again for the officer's first name and [00:03:40] ending the question with the n word. Wheeler shouted no and repeated the n word in his response. Then the video gets shaky. It appears as if Wheeler is struggling with the man off camera, 16 second video then ended. [00:03:56] Second Facebook video, Officer Addison Gingrich. I wonder if he's related to that other congressman who did a lot of damage. He did a lot of damage. I don't know if they're related, but the name Gingrich is not one you hear every day. [00:04:11] That's why I asked. That officer is asked by a man off camera the reason for the first man's arrest. And the officer's answer was disorderly conduct. Let's watch the full video. Go ahead. >> Speaker 2: Can I ask you what he's getting arrested for? [00:04:27] >> Speaker 2: Come over here. >> Speaker 2: Can I ask you what he's getting arrested for? >> Disorderly conduct. >> Speaker 2: Disorderly conduct, how? >> Get off the road now or you'll be arrested. Do you hear me? >> Speaker 2: Arrest me. >> Speaker 2: No. What is he getting arrested for? >> Speaker 2: He just told you. >> Speaker 2: What is he? No, he didn't do nothing to him. He said he recording them. [00:04:42] He said, right? He said. >> We're recording. He said yes or no? He said, did he say yes or no? I'm asking you a question. >> Speaker 2: Would you like me? >> Speaker 2: I didn't do none. But did he ask you a question? What's your badge number? >> Speaker 2: 34. >> Speaker 2: What's your name? [00:04:57] >> Speaker 2: I'm not giving you my name. >> Speaker 1: Give me your name. That's actually required. >> Speaker 2: No, it's not. >> Speaker 2: Yeah, it is. What is he getting arrested for? >> Speaker 2: Disorderly conduct and you're next. >> But he didn't say nothing to you. I'm asking you guys questions. >> Speaker 2: I just answered it. Disorderly conduct. >> Speaker 2: But what for? >> Speaker 2: For screaming in the street. [00:05:13] >> Speaker 2: You said right or wrong? >> Absolutely. >> Speaker 2: Right or wrong? You said it right or wrong? >> Speaker 2: Okay, I'm leaving. >> Speaker 2: What did you say it right or wrong? Did you say it right or wrong? Did you say yes or no? Answer the question there. You said it, right? You said it, right? You said it. [00:05:28] That's all I'm asking, bro. Did you say yes or no? >> Speaker 2: Conversation's on my camera. Did you say yes or no? >> Speaker 2: You're more than welcome to see it. >> Speaker 2: I'm going to get you, bro. That's cool. I got him. He know he said it. That's why he didn't want to answer. Trespassing for what? What I do? >> Speaker 2: You're no longer welcome. [00:05:44] >> Speaker 2: What did I do? Can you ask me? Can you tell me? I didn't touch nobody, put my hands on nobody. When they get the video in court and denying that, he says, ain't no cop going to take me off the road. That's all I'm saying. >> Speaker 2: Make sure you grab. [00:06:01] >> Speaker 1: I think the officers probably rolled up and thought they were dealing with one stereotype. And when they were clapped back at, realize, well, I got to make good and make this one arrest. But they didn't arrest the other guy, although they tried. [00:06:19] They used the typical tactics, shooting down the second person, Davon, I think it was. Get off the road or we'll arrest you. That's something that I pictured is learned in the academy. It's not exactly something that diffuses, by the way, you can talk it out, [00:06:38] then attempted to lie to the men and trespass them, okay? The people who own the establishment property are the ones I'm not legal. I don't have the training. I did have an investment property where a drunk neighbor kept pleasuring [00:06:55] themselves on my porch, okay? And I saw some things I can't unsee via the doorbell camera. And I said, you know what? I don't want to call the police. I tried to talk to his father about it, okay, but I learned that I have to say, you're no longer welcome on the property in order for things to escalate. [00:07:14] You see, I try to be very careful. You don't want to just go calling the police. Boom. Powder keg. You had one situation. Now you have perhaps some guilt on your hands. But anyway, back to this one. Gingrich provided his badge number upon request, but refused to give his name, saying he didn't have to. [00:07:30] Again, petty, it's just not worth it. When asked about Gingrich refusing to give his name, police chief Snyder said, there's no reason not to identify ourselves. Well, I'm with the chief on that one. Rayvonna, you work for the people. [00:07:47] Now, either that's going to be what we're doing around here or it's not. And if that's what we are supposed to be doing, what is the secret? What's the secret? You don't want to be addressed with the n word. Okay, maybe I don't either, but it doesn't mean it's against the law. [00:08:05] But what has me messed up, Rayyvana, is the sensitivity training or retraining. Please have several seats. Don't say it one more time, okay? This is not about sensitivity training because you don't see people that [00:08:21] you roll up on like some jump out boys and arrest one for getting smart with you. Let's face it. That's what happened here, Rayyvana. I can't stand it anymore. And we're only, what, a couple of days into 2024? I need you to make it stop off, right? [00:08:37] >> Speaker 3: Exactly. And it's the language that's being used, right? It's the use of the term unfortunate. It's not unfortunate when somebody says the n word. It's unfortunate when I get to the bus stop to see the bus has just started pulling away. [00:08:52] It's unfortunate when I miss a two for one deal on salmon at Aldi. That's unfortunate. This is bigotry. This is racism. It's not just inappropriate, it is racist. [00:09:07] And sensitivity training isn't going to do a goddamn thing for someone who feels comfortable saying the n word. This is somebody who should be fired. He shouldn't be put on leave. There's no investigation that needs to be done. [00:09:23] This is a racist man. This is a racist man who has no business having a position of power over people that he discriminates against. This is somebody who should not be in this police force. This is someone who should lose his job. [00:09:40] There's no investigation that needs to be done. You have the video. You've seen the video. You know that he said the n word. They're just trying to pretend it wasn't as bad as it was. It was horrendous. It was racism. It was bigotry. They're trying to protect him. [00:09:55] They're trying to move this along, get the eyes of the world off of the story so they can bring him back with no repercussions. Maybe he has to do a class where they tell him that it's wrong to be racist. He doesn't change anything. And he gets to go back out there and potentially disproportionately use force [00:10:13] against the black residents he's supposed to be serving and protecting. This man should not have a job. If it was almost any other place, he wouldn't have a job. So it's ridiculous. It's absurd. He should be gone. That's it. It's that simple. >> It is that simple. [00:10:29] And you notice how we're not even talking about what could be very well, false arrest. Where's the disorderly conduct? And frankly, if I were the chief, I would be after everybody on the scene here because why didn't your fellow officer step in between, [00:10:48] say, hey, come on, come on, man? I didn't see any leadership. I saw people supporting what could very well be a crime and not by the person who went away in cuffs unless there's more. If I'm the chief, I want to better not use the words combined disorderly conduct one [00:11:06] more time, less I want you to justify second by second, show me your body cam. And it better be real. These trumped up it. You were mad because he called you the n word bro, okay? You don't like it and you don't have the temperament to be a police officer. [00:11:22] That's all.