Fort Lauderdale police officer accused of making racist Facebook posts back on patrol

Jeffrey Feldewert stated in IA interview he was going for a laugh

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A Fort Lauderdale police officer who made the news when he was fired for what was deemed to be racist Facebook postings is back on patrol.

Officer Jeffrey Feldewert posted the words "typical hood rat behavior" regarding black suspects over a photo of white cops arresting a cowering black suspect.

"Black people, because without them the evening news wouldn't be as fun to watch," Feldewert wrote in a post.

He was fired last month for the posting, a move Broward County's chief public defender, Gordon Weekes, said he thought was necessary.

"If you express that type of hate, you should no longer be an officer," Weekes said.

But after Feldewert appealed his firing, the city has reinstated him as a police officer and given him back his badge, something Weekes said is flat wrong.

"I don't understand how any agency would condone that, or any citizen would condone that," Weekes said.

It was City Manager Lee Feldman who put Feldewert back on the force instead giving him a 10-day unpaid suspension.

Feldman was on vacation Friday and was unavailable for comment on the basis for his decision.

Fedlewer said in an audiotaped Internal Affairs interview that he was simply going for a laugh.

"It was to get a chuckle. It was meant to be funny," Feldewert said.

Weekes didn't see the humor in that, or the term "savage hunters," which partially accompanied an image Feldewert also posted on social media.

"That term, savage hunter, is very indicative of a police officer that is trying to hurt and terrorize the community," Feldman said.

Feldewert told investigators he felt all criminals were savages. When asked if someone who stole a soda was a savage, Feldewer replied yes.

The city of Fort Lauderdale sent Local 10 News a statement saying that while officials don't condone Feldewert's actions, it was ultimately determined the that the matter did not warrant termination of the 20-year officer.

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