Anthony Campo, chief of the Sheffield Lake Police Department, resigned after spending 33 years with the Ohio police.
His resignation came after Mayor Dennis Bring put Campo on administrative leaving, following an incident with a Black officer.
In a surveillance video, published by clevland.com, Campo is seen putting a sign reading "Ku Klux Klan" on top of his fellow officer's yellow rain coat.
The coat was laid out to resemble the cloak and hood of the infamous White supremacy group.
The targeted officer—who has yet to be named—brought the incident to the attention of the police union, who then contacted Mayor Bring.
@clevelanddotcom These good-ole-boys cling to there racism, hate, and guns...that's what they call they're christia… https://t.co/Xm1ss8kx2R— jeep000007 (@jeep000007) 1625193887.0
@Seglegs @clevelanddotcom So what is happening to the others in his office? I saw someone else in Campo’s office. W… https://t.co/Lz1UzFxDnw— Bella K (@Bella K) 1625625220.0
@clevelanddotcom And I'm sure he wasn't at that Klan rally they had in Wellington last week right....— Tommy__tufftits (@Tommy__tufftits) 1625221518.0
@realtbhicks @clevelanddotcom Their token “African American “.— Nonaura65 (@Nonaura65) 1625575837.0
Bring put Campo on administrative leave, until he saw the surveillance video, after which Campo was fired immediately.
As reported by The Huffington Post:
"He made a joke, 'Am I gonna get fired over this?' And I looked at the law director and I handed him his paper and he says, 'After 30 years, this is what I get?' I said, 'you have ten minutes to get out of your office."
Following his dismissal, Campo tendered his resignation, which was accepted by the city.
Many questioned whether his resignation should be accepted, as it possibly allows him to keep his pension and benefits.
@clevelanddotcom This is a case where the resignation should of been rejected and right after you reject the resignation you fire him— Remember, You Matter (@Remember, You Matter) 1625251006.0
@clevelanddotcom He should not be allowed to resign. Fire him for cause— JRZ (@JRZ) 1625240476.0
@clevelanddotcom Strip his pension— keiththesoso (@keiththesoso) 1625252374.0
Campo—who was chief for eight years—earned a yearly salary of $86,835.43.
It's unclear if resigning instead of waiting for the city to fire him allows Campo to preserve any retirement or other benefits accrued during his time with the department.