LRPD BLACK OFFICERS ASSOCIATION ALLEGES RACIAL DISCRIMINATION BY CHIEF - WHITE LRFOP PRESIDENT SAYS THEY LACK INTELLIGENCE

The Little Rock Black Police Officers Association sent a letter via email to the Little Rock City Board of Directors alleging racial discrimination by Police Chief Kenton Buckner.

Members of the LRBPA say they're speaking out now after repeated attempts to bring their grievances to Chief Buckner and city manager Bruce Moore.

In the letter, the organization members are calling for an independent investigation into the “discrimination, inequities and disparaging treatment of minority officers and supervisors under the command of Chief Kenton Buckner.”

LRPD CHIEF BUCKNER AND HIS GOLDEN DILDO AWARD - GIVEN AFTER LOSING HIS GUN

They're also asking for Buckner to be disciplined if found to be not in compliance with policy, even including termination.

In the letter, they write that Buckner has displayed conduct unbecoming of a chief.

Sgt. Willie Davis is just one of the members that says Buckner has repeatedly shown he is not in support of minority officers.

LRPD SGT.WILLIE DAVIS

"The first thing he said was to get rid of the black police association. There was no need for one. Then he tried to explain why. That insulted a lot of us,” Davis said.

The letter alleges discrimination against minorities for promotions and transfers as well as inconsistency in discipline procedure with white and black officers and supervisors.

"It's our responsibility to make the chief, the city manager and the governor accountable to the actions the city is making and the things they do in their department,” Davis said.

They also allege a failure to investigate violations of white commanders and alleges preferential treatment given to white supervisors for educational training opportunities.

Sgt. Davis says he's been concerned with the chief's treatment of African American officers for some time.

"To say that he's black he would be for black, I wouldn't go that far. I'm not saying he's totally against black, but the appearance and what we're seeing as an organization concern us. So I can't say whether he's pro black or pro white, but the appearance is what our concern is, it appears that way,” Davis said.

However, Sgt. John Gilchrist, president of the Fraternal Order of Police, says he disagrees with the allegations and there is no merit to them.

JOHN GILCHRIST - LRFOP PRESIDENT

"Anyone with any intelligence will see right through this and that I don't think any of this can be substantiated,” Gilchrist said.

This is going to get really interesting, as sources tell us that Gilchrist has personal knowledge that the allegations are indeed true as he was a witness to at least one of the incidents and was extremely upset at the time that it had occurred. The event was an officer that failed to pass a firearm qualification after three attempts and was relieved of duty.  The officer called Assistant Cheif Alice Fulk who permitted the officer to go back to the range and shoot until she qualified.  We understand that the officer passed after rest of the day at the range and using several hundred rounds of ammunition.

LRPD ASSISTANT CHIEF ALICE FULK

A spokesman for chief Buckner said he can't comment on the allegations as a part of department policy because it's a personnel issue.