A Mississippi police chief who used racial slurs in text messages has been fired by city leaders, intensifying scrutiny of a department already under investigation for the fatal police shooting of a one-year-old boy.

Board Rejects Resignation, Votes to Terminate

The Senatobia Board of Aldermen unanimously voted to fire Police Chief Harold Vanderford on Tuesday night after rejecting his resignation. Alderman Demetrius Garrett made the motion to terminate rather than accept the resignation, stating he wanted to remove Vanderford from his position. The decision came in closed-door executive session following public statements from board members. This marks the second time in fourteen months that Senatobia has removed its police chief.\

An investigation by Mississippi Today and the New York Times last month 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. One message allegedly described him almost physically attacking individuals using racial epithets. The texts continued even after Vanderford was sworn in as chief in October 2025.

Family Demands Answers in Infant’s Death

The firing occurs as the city of 8,500 residents faces ongoing questions about the June shooting death of one-year-old Kohen Wiley. Police shot the Black child while responding to a shoplifting call at Walmart. Attorney Ben Crump, representing the Wiley family, called the racist language reports reprehensible and demanded release of footage from the fatal shooting. Nearly three months after the incident, the family has not been allowed to view the footage.

Crump acknowledged the board’s decision while emphasizing unresolved questions. He stated that removing the chief does not answer what happened to the child, and the racist language demonstrates why the family cannot simply trust the process. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation possesses the footage but has not released it publicly.

Pattern of Controversy

Senatobia’s police department has faced multiple controversies. The board voted against reappointing the previous Police Chief Richard Chandler in July 2025 following several incidents. Vanderford served less than a year before his termination. Community activist Patrick Lumumba, founder of the Senatobia Committee for Accountability and Transparency, called the firing a victory and emphasized that more accountability is needed. Lieutenant Angelica Maze will lead the department during the search for a new chief.