THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Disparaging remarks about blacks, Cubans and Jews are found on amateur online videos co-produced by an off-duty Columbus police officer.
The videos were created and distributed on the Internet by Officer Susan L. Purtee, 60, and her sister, Barbara Gordon-Bell, 52, who call themselves "The Patriot Dames" and the "Subie Sisters."
Together on the videos, they blame Jews, blacks, illegal immigrants and Cubans for a variety of the nation's ills.
When asked about doing the videos, Gordon-Bell said, "We've had a lot of fun with it. I don't see that we've ever harmed anybody."
Purtee was off-duty when she made the videos and in civilian clothes. The women never mention Purtee's occupation, though their Web site, www.thepatriotdames.com, notes that she is a law-enforcement officer.
"We weren't trying to strong-arm anybody or do it for the money," Gordon-Bell said last night from her home in Coral Springs, Fla.
There was no answer last night at Purtee's Grove City home. Her sister said they made the videos when Purtee visited her in Florida.
Asked if she saw anything wrong with a police officer's role in making such comments, Gordon-Bell called the opinions "reality."
"And reality and racism and bigotry run awful close together."
But the videos have the attention of attorneys for the city's Police Division.
"The legal team is reviewing the YouTube videos to see if there is any misconduct within our directives," Police Division spokeswoman Amanda Ford said last night......
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