White Kansas fire supervisor suspended over racist sweater
A firefighters union official said the city was trying to “make an example” out of Niemann
WICHITA, Kan. – A white Wichita Fire Department supervisor who texted a photo of himself wearing a sweater featuring a naked Black man has been suspended for three days without pay in one of the harshest penalties yet over racist, homophobic and sexist texts that were shared among the city’s SWAT team members.
The Wichita Eagle reported Sunday that Capt. Keith Niemann, who was punished this month, shared the image in a WhatsApp chat with the message, “having a good morning at the firehouse.”
A firefighters union official said the city was trying to “make an example” out of Niemann because the police department was criticized for giving light punishments to its implicated officers.