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Mayor Ed Lee Tells SFPD Officers To Shape Up Or Ship Out

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- In the wake of a series of scandals plaguing the San Francisco Police Department, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee on Thursday wrote an open letter to the SFPD officers saying enough is enough.

The open letter comes following the most recent wave of offensive and racist text messages exchanged by officers  insulting African Americans, gays and other minority groups in the city.

In the open letter to the SFPD, Lee stated:

"We have seen that outrageous acts of bigotry and intolerance can occur within the Department," Lee said in an open letter Thursday. Let me be clear: the people who commit these acts do not deserve to be San Francisco police officers...They dishonor and disrespect the communities they serve and the sacred badge they wear. I will not tolerate their existence within our ranks, nor will our Chief of Police, nor should you."

On Tuesday, inflammatory and disturbing new text messages emerged from a former SFPD officer.

San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi released the text messages reportedly sent to and from Officer Jason Lai. Among the a offensive terms allegedly used by Lai was a pejorative word for Hispanics, a shortened version of the n-word, a misspelled Cantonese slur for blacks, as well as a message calling Indian people "disgusting."

The mayor urged officers to act immediately to "report any action, by any officer, regardless of rank, that brings dishonor to the police department and the communities you are sworn to protect."

In the letter Lee admonished the officers to serve without prejudice and to "not tolerate hate or bigotry" either in the community or from their fellow officers.

By Hannah Albarazi - Follow her on Twitter: @hannahalbarazi.

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