It's only a word. Get over it, some say.

So Cincinnati Police Officer Patrick Caton called a black pedestrian in his path a "stupid n----r." He was feeling frustrated, they say. He thought another cop needed help and he wouldn't get there in time.

He shouldn't be penalized for what he said in the privacy of his own patrol car, some say. He lost his cool in traffic. We've all done that before.

So it goes, on talk radio and in the streets, in public and private conversations. I've tried staying out of it - the racial fray is so draining - but again the facts pull me in.

On Oct.1 Officer Caton was responding to a report of a fight. He says a pedestrian intentionally stepped into his path, and Officer Caton used the n-word. No one heard him but the cruiser's video recorder and the officers who later unloaded it.

Fine police work

Now for the second time in his five-year career here, Officer Caton's banished to the impound unit.

He's already under internal review for his actions during the arrest and death of Roger Owensby Jr. in 2000. A jury acquitted him of a misdemeanor assault in that case. Part of his defense had been that Mr. Owensby was dead when he got involved, and you can't commit assault on a dead man.

There've been other complaints about Officer Caton, including allegations of racist comments and disrespectful treatment. Once, city investigators recommended he get racial sensitivity training because he'd let two white females go without questioning but detained three black males in a suspected drug deal.

Officer Caton has been reprimanded, too, for not making a report and for driving under the influence, while off duty, and carrying his police-issued gun.

This time, police investigators indicate, Officer Caton seems ready to take some responsibility. He told investigators he was "embarrassed by the situation," wrote Section Commander Stephen Gregoire in his report.

So am I.

This isn't just about Officer Caton. It's about all of us.

It's about our collective case of post-traumatic stress disorder. Whenever it comes to racial issues, we seem to relive our city's prior traumas and react accordingly, instead of responding solely to the incident at hand. I'm not going to say it's a right or wrong reaction. I'm merely playing psychoanalyst and acknowledging the feelings behind our actions.

More than words

Many blacks, and a few whites, believe that certain Cincinnati police officers regularly disdain African-Americans, even persecute them. They say Officer Caton's words reveal the tip of an iceberg of emotions that leads some officers to abuse the authority of their badges. They say these actions often go unpunished.

Enough people have complained about Officer Caton that we should at least listen to this point of view.

On the other hand, many other whites, and some blacks, feel we're all overreacting - again - because this misconduct involves race, and because it involves Officer Caton, rather than a less notorious lawman.

Would the city react the same if the officer caught on tape had been African-American, these people ask. What if he had called a white pedestrian a racist name - perhaps called him a Klansman or something? Are we being unfair to Officer Caton?

That question, while worthy of consideration, is easy to answer. No.

To paraphrase the Gospel according to Matthew: "Out of the mouth, the heart speaks."

His was not just an utterance, but an attitude on display. We must measure him by his words and deeds and remove him from the force.

E-mail: damos@enquirer.com or phone 768-8395