Why were Antioch police officers arrested? Charges explored in wake of racist text message scandal 

On Thursday, August 17, several Pittsburg and Antioch police officers were arrested by the FBI for several crimes, including narcotics distribution and civil rights violations. CBS reported that during the investigation into the allegations of a criminal conspiracy with the departments, officials also discovered that several officers in the Antioch Police were circulating racist text messages.

Upon discovering that several Antioch police officers were using hateful language in casual conversations, the city's residents were outraged. In the text messages, several officers reportedly congratulated one another for partaking in police brutality and regularly used racial slurs in conversation.

The Contra Coast County Public Defender's Office stated that 45 Antioch police officers have been accused of misconduct.

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How did the Antioch Police probe begin?

As per Fox News, the series of raids on the officers from Antioch and Pittsburg was the culmination of an 18-month FBI investigation. The FBI began probing the allegations of a criminal conspiracy among multiple police officers after receiving an anonymous tip-off. An unidentified person reportedly told authorities that several East Contra County police officers were cheating on college tests.

In the early stages of the investigation, FBI investigators seized several phones from the officers implicated in the initial accusation. FBI personnel discovered that several Antioch officers had texting groups where they regularly used racist and homophobic language. Specifically, investigators claimed that several officers referred to black Antioch citizens as Gorillas.

In an interview with Fox News, civil rights attorney John Burris condemned the officers for allegedly sending the text messages.

"Those racial text messages were pretty horrendous and really went to the lack of respect that they had for the community they served. What you then have is a dishonorable cop who's also a racist," Burris said.

The Contra Costa County Defender, Ellen McDonnell, reiterated the sentiment. McDonnell said that the text messages will have an impact on several pending cases that the Antioch police department handles.

"I have reached out to District Attorney Becton and asked that she immediately pause all criminal filings and current prosecutions involving the Antioch Police Department," McDonnell said.

I have also requested that her office evaluate pending Antioch cases for immediate dismissal, and that they begin a comprehensive review of the many thousands of Antioch Police Department related convictions to determine which cases should be dismissed," she continued.

After learning that several Antioch police officers had supposedly celebrated cases of police brutality, the investigation began to explore allegations of excessive force and violations of civil rights. Antioch and Pittsburg officers were also accused of accepting bribes and distributing drugs such as cocaine and steroids.

In an official statement, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said that the allegations could indicate a potentially endemic issue for the American public.

"Police departments are on the front lines of that fight every day as they work to safeguard the people of our state. However, where there are allegations of potentially pervasive bias or discrimination, it can undermine the trust that is critical for public safety and our justice system," Bonta said.

The officers implicated in the probe are currently being held in a federal detention center in Oakland. The police departments probed in the investigation have announced that they are cooperating with the FBI.

Several other officers from both the Antioch and Pittsburg police departments have also been suspended. CBS reported that among the officers who are on administrative leave due to alleged misconduct, the most high-profile is Rick Hoffmann, the president of the police association in Antioch.