San Jose police officer out after internal probe finds racist text messages

A San Jose police officer is off the force after an internal investigation revealed a slew of racist text messages sent to another officer, including one that said, “I hate black people,� The Times has confirmed.

Mark McNamara resigned Wednesday after being notified of the probe into his texts, Police Chief Anthony Mata told the Mercury News.

In a statement, Mata said the “disgusting� text messages were discovered during an unrelated investigation, and a separate probe was immediately launched looking into the texts.

“There is zero tolerance for even a single expression of racial bias at the San José Police Department,� Mata said. “If any employee’s racial bias rears its ugly head, rest assured that I will take immediate action to ensure they are not part of this organization.�

Mata’s statement included 10 pages of texts sent by McNamara, many of which were presumably referencing a March 2022 incident in which McNamara shot K’aun Green, a Black college student, after Green helped break up a fight at a taqueria near San Jose State University.

One text, dated a day after the shooting, said “N— wanted to carry a gun in the Wild West.� A following text said “Not on my watch haha.�

Green sued the city, and McNamara sent texts attacking his legal team.

“They should all be bowing to me and bringing me gifts since I saved a fellow n— by making his rich as f—. Otherwise he woulda lived a life of poverty and crime,� one text said.

The texts were sent to a current employee of the police department, who responded with “concerning dialogue,� according to Mata. That employee was placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.

“There is nothing more sickening than a person in power abusing their position,� said San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan in a statement. “I will sleep better tonight knowing that this individual is no longer carrying a badge and gun.�