PHOENIX (AP)—Shaquille O'Neal will lose his special deputy's badge in
Maricopa County because of language he used in a rap video that mocks
former teammate Kobe Bryant.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said the Phoenix Suns center's use
of a racially derogatory word and other foul language left him no
choice. Arpaio made Shaq a special deputy in 2006 and promoted him to
colonel of his largely ceremonial posse later that year.

"I want his two badges back," Arpaio told The Associated Press on
Tuesday. "Because if any one of my deputies did something like this,
they're fired. I don't condone this type of racial conduct."

Shaq was seen in a video posted on the celebrity news and gossip Web
site TMZ.com rapping that "Kobe couldn't do without me." O'Neal
skewers the Lakers' star, with whom he won three straight NBA titles
from 2000-2002 while with Los Angeles, for not being able to win a
championship without him.

"I was freestyling. That's all. It was all done in fun. Nothing
serious whatsoever," O'Neal told ESPN.com Monday. A call to the Suns
on Tuesday seeking comment from O'Neal was referred to his public
relations firm, which didn't immediately respond.

Arpaio, who describes himself as "America's Toughest Sheriff" and is
best known for feeding jail inmates green bologna, clothing them in
pink underwear, and making them work on chain gangs, said he didn't
expect his actions would teach Shaq a lesson. But he hoped he learns
that as a role model who wants to someday be a full-time sheriff, he
needs to know his words matter.

"Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I don't think that either conduct
should be out there publicly, even if media wasn't there," Arpaio
said.

O'Neal previously served as a reserve officer with the Miami Beach
Police Department while playing for the Miami Heat. He also
volunteered with the Tempe Police Department after being traded to
the Suns in February.