A Mississippi police chief who allegedly used racial slurs in text messages has been fired just months after officers in his department shot and killed a one-year-old Black child during a shoplifting call, raising serious questions about leadership and accountability in law enforcement.

Board Rejects Resignation, Votes to Terminate

The Senatobia Board of Aldermen unanimously voted to fire Police Chief Harold Vanderford on Tuesday night after refusing to accept his resignation. The decision came after an investigation by Mississippi Today and the New York Times revealed Vanderford used the N-word and other racial slurs more than a dozen times in text messages spanning from summer 2025 through his tenure as chief. In one message, he allegedly wrote that he almost physically attacked a Black person and a white woman.

Alderman Demetrius Garrett, one of two Black board members, made the motion to terminate rather than accept the resignation. The board conducted the final vote during a closed executive session. This marks the second police chief Senatobia has removed in just 14 months, creating a pattern of leadership instability in the small city of 8,500 residents.

Family Demands Answers in Child’s Death

The firing occurs as the city faces mounting pressure over the June death of one-year-old Kohen Wiley, who was shot by police responding to a shoplifting incident at Walmart. Attorney Ben Crump, representing the child’s family, stated that the racist language makes the continued secrecy surrounding the shooting even more unacceptable. Nearly three months after the incident, authorities have not released footage of the fatal shooting to the family.

Crump emphasized that while removing the chief was appropriate, it fails to answer the fundamental question the family has asked since June 14: what happened to their baby? He argued the racist language demonstrates exactly why the family cannot simply trust official processes without transparency and evidence.

Pattern of Controversial Incidents

Kohen’s death represents the latest in a series of troubling incidents involving the Senatobia Police Department. The department’s previous chief, Richard Chandler, was not reappointed in July 2025 following multiple controversial events. Community activist Patrick Lumumba called the firing a victory but indicated more accountability is needed within the department. Lieutenant Angelica Maze will serve as interim leader while the board searches for a permanent replacement, the city’s third chief in little over a year.