A police sergeant in Providence, Rhode Island, has been fired for allegedly making a racist comment nearly a year ago.
WJAR-TV reports that Sgt. David Marchant, a 21-year-veteran of the police force, was fired on Tuesday.
The incident in question happened in December, when Marchant and a black officer went to Brown University for a report of a suspicious package with powder. The two officers opened the package, drawing criticism from a third officer.
That officer told a hearing board that Marchant then said, "So long as he doesn't get sick, then he should be fine. Who cares anyway? He's a black guy anyhow."
Marchant claimed the comment was a joke.