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Sheriff’s Employees Get Diversity Training After Firings
By: Associated Press
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DAYTON, Ohio (AP) – All 450 employees of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s office in southwest Ohio were given diversity training after two employees were fired and another three were placed on leave for sending racist text messages.
Monday’s diversity training was the first time all employees were brought together for such an exercise in 10 years.
Capt. Thomas Flanders and Det. Michael Sollenberger, both white officers, were fired in February for allegedly sending racially insensitive texts that disparaged black co-workers, President Obama and others. Flanders and Sollenberger have denied the charges.
Sheriff Phil Plummer said the firings sparked conversation that led to the training. He says he was keeping an open dialogue between police and local leaders on the issue.