A 20-year veteran of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department who was fired in June after posting racist comments to his Facebook profile was rehired Monday.
Fort Lauderdale City Manager Lee Feldman explained that he was reinstated because his release from the department “put several of the prosecutions of arrests he was involved with in jeopardy,” [__The New Times__](http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/fort-lauderdale-cop-fired-over-racist-facebook-comment-back-on-the-job-7161081) reported.
Officer Jeffery Feldewert, 45, had posted a photo of a black man being arrested and wrote “Typical Hoodrat Behavior” as the accompanying caption.
> “Black People. Because without them the evening news wouldn’t be as much fun to watch,” the image also had written on it.
His profile photo was also reportedly a picture of a red, white and blue skull with the Fort Lauderdale police badge, and the words “savage hunter” on it.
After appealing the decision, with the help of his police union, the officer was given a 10-day suspension and the decision to terminate him was reversed.
> “While the city certainly does not condone Officer Feldewert’s actions, nor are they in any way representative of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, the actual matter, evaluated with the officer’s record, did not warrant termination,” Feldman wrote in an email to the [__Sun Sentinel__](http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fort-lauderdale/fl-lauderdale-cop-reinstated-20150803-story.html).
What did Feldwert’s say to defend himself over the blatant racism?
> “It was supposed to be funny,” the cop told [__Local 10__](http://www.local10.com/news/fort-lauderdale-police-officer-accused-of-maing-racist-facebook-posts-back-on-patrol/34475554).
One person who certainly does not find racism and a cop joking about being a “savage hunter” funny is Gordon Weekes, the county’s chief public defender.
> “That term, ‘savage hunter,’ is very indicative of a police officer that is truly trying to hurt and terrorize a community,” Weekes told Local 10.
Feldewert isn’t the only officer at this department to seems to find racism hilarious.
In March, three other officers [__were found to have sent text messages about “killing n***ers__](http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/fort-lauderdale-cops-fired-for-racist-texts-and-video-about-killing-black-people-6912786).” A fourth officer voluntarily resigned after making a video laced with racist language and violence against black people, while depicting Obama as a criminal. The video was reported by the officer’s former fiance, who testified that he holds racist views.
The offensive video also contained the term “savage hunter.”
