SF sheriff's cadet says Supervisor Shamann Walton used racial slurs, threatened him

SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco Sheriff's cadet Emare Butler told his version of what happened during an incident with Supervisor Shamann Walton at San Francisco City Hall.

The cadet said the supervisor used racial slurs when asked to take off his belt while going through a metal detector.

Butler said he was speaking out now to clear his name. 

The encounter happened, he said, about 10 a.m. on June 24 at the security checkpoint just inside City Hall's Polk Street entrance.

Butler said he tried to give Walton a signal that he would need to remove his belt, but the supervisor refused and got angry, saying: "It’s n—s like you that look like me that’s always a problem." 

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Just because both men are Black, doesn't make it right, Butler said. 

"I don't agree that just because it's two Black males to use that word," Butler said. "Someone said it was a sign of solidarity. I don't know what kind of solidarity that would be."

Butler said what bothered him was that during a previous encounter with the supervisor about a week before, he had made a verbal agreement with Walton that he would wand the supervisor through without Walton having to remove his belt, as long as there was no line.

On that Friday of Pride weekend, Butler said there was a line of people waiting to get into City Hall and that the supervisor threatened him in front of a crowd.

 "You must not know who I am. I'm going to whoop your ass," the cadet recalled of the conversation.

Butler said the incident was embarrassing.

 "This is a professional setting," he said. "There's no reason for you to be talking like that."

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KTVU reached out to Walton.   

In a written statement, he said that he may be a target for retaliation because he has introduced and passed sheriff's oversight legislation.

"No other supervisor has been a thorn in the sheriff's department side than me," Walton wrote.

Walton also wrote, "This was not the first time that I have been mistreated or targeted by this individual."

But Butler said he's just a cadet, without that much authority. 

"I could say with 1000% certainty with him or anyone else, there's no one in this building has ever encountered me that they had an unpleasant time with me," said Butler.

The 43-year-old cadet said he grew up in the Bayview, the district that Walton represents. 

Butler said he's now uncomfortable visiting family and friends in that neighborhood because constituents there support Walton.

It's just unfair that someone that has this platform would use it to try to destroy my name.  I just want him to tell the truth," said Butler.

The cadet said he is not looking for an apology from Walton.  

Butler wants the supervisor to tell his constituents the truth about what happened.

The cadet said all his encounters with the supervisor have been brief and cordial except for that day.  

Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU,  Instagram @AmberKTVU  or Twitter @AmberKTVU