A police chief in Mississippi has been suspended after a video surfaced online of him smoking marijuana.
Lumberton mayor Quincy Rogers said that Shane Flynt was sent home Tuesday after the video emerged, in which the police chief says he is smoking the drug.
In the footage, Flynt can be seen lighting up a broken pipe and saying: ‘I’m the only chief of police in Lumbeton who likes to smoke weed.’
In a Facebook post, Flynt said he was ‘truly sorry’ for the incident and he ‘loved’ serving the people of Lumberton
As Christmas music plays in the background with his police uniform clearly visible hanging up behind him he says: ‘I like Rudolph the red nosed reindeer.’
In between expletives he also says: ‘Who’s the coolest here? Me! I’m the coolest here.’
After initially denying the existence of the video, Flynt later said on Facebook his ‘vindictive’ wife filmed him inside their home.
The mayor says Flynt will remain on suspension until after the city’s board of aldermen meet, with the next board meeting scheduled for March 6.
In his Facebook post the police chief said: ‘Please know that one video, one mistake , does not define the person I am, my moral or ethical values.
‘I made a huge mistake, first of all, I trusted the wrong person, welcomed them in my personal home, they recorded me in a vulnerable state and they planned every minute of it.
The police chief will remain suspended until the town’s board of Aldermen on March 6
‘This person being my wife who is obviously very vindictive. I love serving the town of Lumberton, the people there are like family to me. It saddens my heart that I’ve disappointed many as well as myself. ‘
‘Just a thought .. Where would we all be if we all had hidden cameras in our home What would our neighbors, preachers, co-workers , friends , etc. think of our conversations?
‘There is no excuse. I pray you all find it in your hearts to show me grace and know that I am truly sorry for this incident.’
Mayor Rogers told WDAM after he was shown the footage: ‘That’s quite disturbing. I’m still trying to get over this video.’