Sheriff Todd Wright resigns after racist comments recorded

 Sheriff Todd Wright resigns after racist comments recorded.

Arkansas County Sheriff Todd Wright has resigned after he was allegedly recorded using racial slurs against black people.

The five-minute audio recording began circulating on Facebook this week, according to KATV content partner the Pine Bluff Commercial. In the recording, a man uses a racial slur nine times after becoming upset that a woman he was with spoke to a black person in a grocery store.

The man calls the woman a “n**** lover" and says, “Why you got to holler at f****** n****** when I’m around."

Wright's resignation was announced Friday after a special Quorum Court meeting was held to address the recording. Arkansas County Judge Eddie Best said several people spoke during the meeting who knew the sheriff and asked the sheriff to get help.

Wright's resignation was effective immediately. But according to Best, Wright will still receive a contract labor check for the next month to help the sheriff's office move forward after his departure.

Wright will not be paid for insurance or retirement during that period.

Arkansas County is a county of about 18,000 in the Arkansas Delta.