Firegeezer notes: This story has to do with police officers, but you can bet that it’s just as liable to happen in fire and ambulance stations. Make this story one of your 15-minute drills to remind everybody that this is not a game we’re playing and to keep your eyes open for the few who still don’t get the message.
A NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, POLICE OFFICER IS being investigated today following the revelation that she has posted a photograph on her Facebook page of what appears to be a body laying in a pile of litter in a residence. The department is determining if the photo is an actual crime scene, a medical emergency call, or a spoof photo staged for the purpose. Posting pictures from a crime scene on the Internet is a violation of departmental policy and the penalty can be either suspension or termination.
WCVB-TV has an informative video report that explains the circumstances:
WBZ-TV is reporting:
The officer’s superiors are now investigating. “This is not a joke,” said Lt. Jeffrey Silva. “It’s not a laughing matter. We don’t want the public to feel betrayed when we go into someone’s home to investigate.”
And the mayor, who has the final say on any disciplinary action, was also concerned. “The person in that picture is someone’s family member,” said Scott Lang, “and it shows a lack of compassion to put that photo on the Internet.”
The officer has not been identified because police are trying to be sure she was the one who took the photo, and put it on her Facebook page. But one investigator told WBZ the officer in question is connected, by family, to several politically-powerful people in the region.
The officer’s Facebook page is set to “private,” but the photo was e-mailed to a Rhode Island television station.
This is not the first time that the New Bedford PD has experienced thoughtless internet use by one of its officers. Last year, Police Officer Norman Duchesneau was suspended after police verified that he posted a picture of himself in uniform under the “casual encounters” section of Craigslist. The ad sought out women interested in “friends with benefits-type relationships” who was “willing to play out police fantasy.”
Also on FireGeezer…
- Fired Facebook EMT Gets Day in Court – January 26, 2011
- AMR vs. Facebook Settlement – February 8, 2011
Recent Comments