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Source: RPD cops made ‘inappropriate comments’ about Obama, first lady

Posted at 3:23 PM, May 25, 2012
and last updated 2012-05-26 00:08:18-04

RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) - In his re-election bid for the White House, President Barack Obama stopped at VCU's Siegel Center earlier this month where thousands of people flocked to hear him speak.

But a source within the Richmond Police Department (RPD), who does not want to reveal his identity for fear of retribution, is blowing the whistle on the department.

The man tells CBS 6 News' Sandra Jones that inappropriate comments were made by a 20-year police veteran, against the president and first lady.

"There was an officer providing exterior security to the President on that day on the phone with the supervisor. The supervisor said to that particular officer, 'you're down there right? So, you can take a couple of shots, you might have to kill yourself, but you can take a couple of shots.'"

The RPD source said the supervisor said that to a sharpshooter while on the phone during the department's roll call on the day of the president`s visit.

The source also said that "another officer in the background started talking and he said, 'yeah, somebody should plant a bomb underneath the stage while they're on there and blow it up.' "

And the police source also said comments were allegedly made about Michelle Obama.

"Nobody wants to see her anyway -- unless she gets undressed or get naked," the source told Jones was what one officer said.

No one at RPD is commenting, but the department is investigating the alleged incident.

A spokesperson said the Secret Service investigated the complaint, and did not find any wrongdoing. But the whistleblower claims it took the police department two weeks before the matter was addressed.

"It makes me feel terrible, terrible," said the whistleblowrer. "You see it as a loss. How could somebody in law enforcement be talking about killing somebody else...especially government. President of the United States, the highest in the land."

Richmond police said the officers in question did not have an assignment related to the president’s detail.

"The Richmond Police Department has conferred with the Secret Service. The Secret Service considers this matter resolved," wrote Richmond Police spokesperson Gene Lepley in a news release.

A RPD source also said the alleged comments, while not criminal in nature, are being investigated by the department for appropriate administrative action.

However, the department will not identify the officers nor discuss their current work status.

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