Cases in doubt amid US officer racism probe

A handful of Miami Beach police officers sent hundreds of racially offensive and pornographic emails and possibly jeopardised dozens of criminal cases in which they are witnesses, the department’s chief said.

An internal investigation revealed that two of the 16 officers were high-ranking within the Miami Beach Police Department and were the main instigators, Chief Daniel Oates told reporters. One has retired, and the other was fired.

The cases come amid a national debate about issues of race and law enforcement, including several instances of unarmed black men killed by police.