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.”