Torrance Police Officer Joshua Satterfield faces misconduct charges for racist text messages

The Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) held an advisory board hearing on January 16, 2025, to address serious misconduct allegations against former Torrance Police Department officer Joshua Satterfield. The meeting focused on the review of evidence regarding Satterfield's alleged use of racist, homophobic, and transphobic language in text messages sent to colleagues between 2018 and 2019.

The session began with a motion to consider revocation of Satterfield's certification, which passed with a vote of 6 to 1. Following this, law enforcement consultant Robert Bringolf presented the findings of the investigation. He outlined that Satterfield's communications included offensive language that demonstrated bias against protected classes, violating California Penal Code section 13510.8 and the Torrance Police Department's anti-harassment policies.

Bringolf detailed specific instances of Satterfield's messages, including a response to a text about a racially charged incident involving a child, where Satterfield's reply was deemed indifferent and prejudiced. Another message referred to a community member using a derogatory term, further illustrating a pattern of bias. The consultant emphasized that such behavior undermines public trust in law enforcement and suggests a predisposition to act unfairly based on race.

During the public comment period, Beatrice Johnson from Families United For Justice expressed the emotional impact of such attitudes within policing, linking them to a historical context of systemic racism. She called for a cultural shift within law enforcement to prevent such mindsets from being tolerated.

Satterfield's attorney, Tom Yu, defended his client, arguing that there was no direct evidence linking Satterfield to the messages and contending that the anti-harassment policy cited was misapplied. He claimed that the messages did not demonstrate a bias that would affect Satterfield's law enforcement duties.

The board members engaged in a robust discussion, with some expressing disbelief that racial epithets could be dismissed as irrelevant to an officer's conduct. They reiterated that attitudes expressed in private communications could indeed influence professional behavior.

The meeting concluded with a consensus on the need for accountability and the importance of addressing bias within law enforcement. The board will continue to deliberate on the implications of the findings and the appropriate actions to take regarding Satterfield's certification status.