Florida deputy disciplined after disturbing comments caught on video

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (WPEC) - WPEC obtained stunning video of a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s deputy.

The sheriff's office determined that he made some racially derogatory comments while in uniform.

The incident involved Deputy Frank Di Orsini.

According to the Internal Affairs report, Di Orsini made a racially derogatory comment in the presence of a West Palm Beach Police officer, who was wearing a body-worn camera. In the video, the deputy uses the N-word.

“It smells like f---ing dirty N-word in my f---ing car," Di Orsini said on video.

The report states that Di Orsini called police to investigate a break-in of his personal vehicle, a Jeep that was parked outside his house.

The culprit had cut open the rear passenger vinyl window.

Di Orsini told the officer the culprit had stolen about $80 from his wallet when they broke into his Jeep.

After watching the video, Florida Sen. Bobby Powell, Jr., an African-American state lawmaker from Palm Beach County, was very worried.

“It’s very alarming. I’m very concerned that this would happen,” he said.

Di Orsini told Internal Affairs he was upset and mad that his property was violated. “He said his emotions got the better of him and he realizes he represents PBSO while in uniform and this behavior would not continue," according to the IA report.

“It’s not just the language, it’s not just something that he said. It was the tone behind it, and the intent. The hurtfulness," Powell said.

PBSO provided this written statement:

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office holds its employees to the highest standards and never forgets about its duty to preserve the public’s trust. Allegations of inappropriate behavior, criminal or otherwise, are taken very seriously.

Recently, the sheriff's office had another incident involving a deputy, who allegedly made disturbing posts on social media. One post shows Deputy Jason Van Dusen smoking a cigar while in uniform. It reads, “Taking a break after two shootings tonight in Belle Glade." Another post compares Michelle Obama to a monkey.

The sheriff’s office suspended Di Orsini for 40 hours and ordered him to take diversity training. WPEC asked the sheriff’s office for a comment from him, but so far there's been no response.