He was also accused of harassing a co-worker and creating a hostile work environment, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said.

PINELLAS COUNY – A detention deputy has been fired after he was found to have harassed a co-worker, discriminated and created a racially hostile work environment, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said.

Jorge A. Lopez, 30, was fired, effective today (April 20). He had worked for the Sheriff’s Office since March 24, 2014. He was a detention deputy at the Pinellas County Jail, 14400 49th St. N in Clearwater.

According to the administrative investigation, Lopez was working in a maximum security housing area of the Pinellas County Jail on Jan. 14 when he started a conversation with a white co-worker and inquired if an African American deputy who was assigned to the area was currently on the floor.

Investigators said Lopez told the white co-worker, “Well there’s a lot of n—— on this floor.”

Witnesses told investigators that Lopez referred to the inmates as “Stupid n——,” and said “The n—— behind the gates need to control themselves.”

The white deputy told Lopez that he was offended by his inappropriate language. The deputy told Lopez not to use that word in his presence.

Investigators said Lopez repeated the word multiple times and directed his aggressive behavior towards the deputy calling him a “n—–” and referred to the white deputy as, “an inmate n—– lover.”

Investigators say the deputy told Lopez multiple times to stop but Lopez continued with the inappropriate and derogatory behavior. At one point, Lopez asked a third deputy if he knew the deputy he was speaking to was a “n—– lover.” Lopez’s behavior continued until the co-worker left the room.

During the course of the administrative investigation, Lopez admitted to the allegations and admitted to using racial slurs while working at the jail prior to this incident.

As a result of the investigation, the Administrative Review Board determined that Lopez violated Sheriff’s Office policy and he was terminated effective today.

Pinellas Sheriff | Deputy Fired | Tampabay News

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