Deputy Inspector James Kobel, assigned to the Equal Employment Opportunity Division, an New York Police Department (NYPD) officer is under investigation for allegedly making prejudice, sexist and intolerant comments in an online chat room.

He has been relieved of his command and placed on modified assignment pending the outcome of the internal investigation.

The NYPD first started investigating the claims after a report was provided to the department on October 14.

James Kobel Investigation

investigators say he made posts on an online chat board called the Rant “not infrequently using blatantly racist and misogynistic language.” According to the report, the official used the pseudonym “Clouseau,” after the Peter Sellers character in the “Pink Panther” movies, but was in fact James Kobel, the commander of the department’s EEO division.

Another officer has recently been suspended for using his patrol car to broadcast political messages.