Alleged racial slur at police class probed

Cathy Scott

Monday, Jan. 26, 1998 | 10:45 a.m.

The vice president of the Police Protective Association is under investigation for allegedly making a racial slur while speaking before a Metro Police corrections academy class, police said.

Dan Holley was addressing a class of 36 cadets on Jan. 15 when he allegedly referred to the recent Martin Luther King holiday as Martin Luther "Coon" day, police sources said. Of the 36 people in the classroom, 21 complained to jail personnel that they heard the comment.

Sgt. Will Minor, spokesman for the department, confirmed that 36 people were attending a class at the Clark County Detention Center when the reference to the civil rights leader was allegedly made. Holley was speaking before the class to inform cadets about the union and to recruit them, Minor said.

Some members of the PPA have called for Holley's resignation, several police sources said. As of Friday, he had not resigned from the full-time elected position he has held for three years.

Holley was a detective in Metro's crimes-against-persons unit before he was elected to the PPA. Under the chain of command, Holley reports to Deputy Chief Mike Zagorski, even though his salary is paid by the PPA, Minor said. Zagorski did not return a telephone call.

"The investigation is being done by the jail because that's where it occurred," Minor said. "Once all the facts are gathered, they will be turned over to Chief Zagorski."