Content warning: This article references racial discrimination and racist language, which some readers may find distressing.
A Houston police officer who shared a series of deeply racist videos on social media about ‘black people’ has been removed from duty after the clips triggered widespread anger online.
The offensive posts, which circulated widely on the internet, have been identified locally as involving officer Ashley Gonzalez. Houston Police Department has since relieved her of her duties as the video spread and drew condemnation.
In footage reportedly filmed inside her car, Gonzalez is seen recounting an alleged altercation in which she says she assaulted a Black person. Throughout the recording, she repeatedly uses the N-word while expressing racist views.
While still serving as an officer, Gonzalez directed a stream of hateful remarks at a community she was sworn to protect. At one point, she says she ‘will always and forever say that I f*****g hate [N-word].’
She also derided the history of slavery, making comments including: “‘Oh, we were slaves,’ I don’t give a f***, [racist slur], like for a f*****g reason you guys were f*****g slaves.”
In a clip shared on Facebook that many viewers compared to racist policing practices of past eras, Gonzalez also claims she ‘hates black people’ and says she will arrest any Black person when dispatched to a call.
She further boasts about an alleged incident in which someone tried to steal her purse, claiming she responded by saying she ‘whooped the f*** out of that [racist slur] a**.’
Local reports say Gonzalez previously served in the Marine Corps between 2019 and 2023 and reached the rank of corporal. She was sworn in as an HPD officer in January 2024.
Her comments continued with: “Y’all don’t know how good it felt to say [racial slur] out loud. Oh my God, I felt like I was back in the Marine Corps. I felt like the world just stopped. It felt like peace.”
The remarks have sparked outrage beyond social media, including criticism from civil rights advocates such as the NAACP, whose local chapter described Gonzalez as having a ‘sick mindset’. Reaction has also come from within law enforcement circles in Texas.
The Afro American Police Officers League said it was appalled by what it described as a serving officer’s racist conduct, accusing Gonzalez of ‘spewing hatred, racism, and de-humanizing black people by referring to them as ‘chimps’.’
The group also criticized HPD’s response, stating: “Nearly and entire workday has passed where our department leadership has yet to put out a formal statement to its officers or to the public not condoning this behavior, which was distasteful, disgraceful, disrespectful and intolerable.
HPD has not publicly confirmed specific details about the video, but the local police union addressed the controversy. “The Houston Police Officers Union is extremely disturbed by a video circulating on social media regarding an officer making offensive, racist comments,” the union said in a statement.
“In no way does the HPOU or its leadership condone or tolerate racist behavior from any of our officers.”
Houston Police Department is investigating the video and Gonzalez’s conduct. Her employment status remains subject to the outcome of that process, and she has been instructed to surrender her badge and firearm while the matter is reviewed.
If you have been the victim of discrimination, you can report it via the US Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division here. In an emergency, always call 911.