Bangs' Council Member Apologizes

"This is not an attitude the city has and please don't let it be a reflection on the city. One man's opinions or actions, don't judge the town by what one individual does," says Leo Smith, Bangs City Manager.

The incident occurred in February when Larry Williford, a member of the city council, said a racial slug using the n-word to describe a slingshot. Yesterday, a month later, he apologized to the public.

"I don't feel that way towards any race. As far as I'm concerned, man-kind is one," say Larry Williford.

Officer Perry Kelley is the only African-American officer employed by the Bangs Police Department. The night the incident occurred, he happened to be standing at the back of the room listening to the entire meeting.

Yesterday he was up at this podium letting the council know his thoughts on what occurred.

"My only issue with the whole thing is that in a month, no one, from the bottom of the food chain all the way to the top, came to me and said anything. No one said this is how we feel, this is not how we feel," says Perry Kelley, Bangs Police Officer.

Now the Bangs Police Department stands by his statement and shares his feelings of justice.

"We have to have integrity and stand on our morals and ethics. I believe what he said is what he felt. I'm here to protect his civil rights and those of everyone in this community. And people need to be held accountable for their wrong doings," says Troy Grusendorf, Bangs Chief of Police.

Some citizens feel the words were taken out of context and only reflect on the era Williford grew up in.

"I just wish all this stuff would just get over it and move on with their lives," says Cornelius Hood.

What's done is done, bangs can now only look to the future with optimism and new found experience.