sctiger
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Post by sctiger on Jan 14, 2021 8:30:10 GMT -6
I need some perspective and knew I could definitely get some honestly from you all. I live in a big neighborhood and we have a police officer who is contracted from our local police department. The area is very safe but people want him for things like neighborhood speeding, car break ins, etc. Petty stuff mostly. The other night he posted this on our Facebook page and it doesn't sit well with me. He also pasted back in the fall warning against people stealing Trump signs. I think this week's post bothers me because he didn't have to bring Trump into it. With recent events it came across as inflammatory and inciting division, especially when our nation's capital is on lockdown due to violence on the threat of violence from Trump supporters. My husband feels it's a police officer using his position to endorse a politician. Anyway, here's the post. I'd love to know your thoughts and if you feel it crosses the line or if I'm just overly sensitive given how much I hate Trump.
Post: It has come to my attention that some residents have been dealing with various forms of harassment related to support of the President.
First off, I appreciate tagging this account in any post where you feel I need to be aware, or you need my opinion / assistance. If you tag me, please send me a message via text or messenger so I know. Notifications don't show up immediately with this account and if I'm off I may not see them at all without a message.
That being said, we have seen a rise in discriminatory behavior related to political opinions. Actions taken by law enforcement can vary greatly depending upon a number of factors. Leaving written notes, emails etc for the purpose of intimidating or harassing the victim is illegal in this state and can, and will result in you going to jail if you are identified as a perpetrator. Furthermore, it is against federal law to tamper will a mailbox or put anything inside it that wasn't sent through the post office.
We live in a country where constitutional rights are absolute, and the infringement of those rights by one citizen against another is wholly unacceptable. You have the right to your opinions and free speech. But you do not have the right to ride the streets using fowl language, harassing others, or intimidating them for differing opinions. You may not harass them for flags in their yard, or signs in their windows, or anything of the like. Do not demand liberty for yourself while being willing to deny it from others. I will be watching.
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Pistol
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Post by Pistol on Jan 14, 2021 8:35:40 GMT -6
I'm confused. The neighborhood and city have a contract that you get this cop specifically for your neighborhood or he is a city cop who happens to live in your area?
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Pistol
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Post by Pistol on Jan 14, 2021 8:38:03 GMT -6
And I need more info on the harassment. Did someone yell trump fucking sucks out a window or is someone getting in people's faces about it?
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jaygee
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Post by jaygee on Jan 14, 2021 8:39:45 GMT -6
Is this posted on his personal FB page or some sort of community page?
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blurnette989
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Post by blurnette989 on Jan 14, 2021 8:41:13 GMT -6
This feels vaguely threatening to me.
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jaygee
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Post by jaygee on Jan 14, 2021 8:46:28 GMT -6
Here’s my take: this is not good professional communication from a member of the police department. I doubt it meets their social media standards if he’s writing it on official business.
In my city, the police chief will sometimes post on our Nextdoor. It’s only for official business and to address a specific event or issue. For example, they posted last year to explain their stance and adoption of the 8 can’t wait police reform measures. I think they have limited posting/interaction ability by design on nextdoor. If there is a specific crime or an advisory they post about it. But they don’t just interact with the public on regular posts.
I think he’s likely putting the police department at a liability by posting general warnings like this without specific information. I would probably copy and paste it and send it via email to chief of police in your town and inquire if this fits the communication policy for their department.
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ktg
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Post by ktg on Jan 14, 2021 8:47:45 GMT -6
Constitutional rights are absolute? Since when?
I would want to do away with this whole contract, honestly, but otherwise would want a different officer assigned.
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RajahMD
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Post by RajahMD on Jan 14, 2021 8:48:54 GMT -6
That "I will be watching" line at the end is fucking creepy. I'm getting a really bad vibe from his post. Especially since he only seems to be referencing harassment going one way. Does that mean he wouldn't do anything about harassment against Dem supporters?
I don't like it, and it definitely feels like it's crossing boundaries.
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sctiger
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Post by sctiger on Jan 14, 2021 8:49:37 GMT -6
To clarify: he does not live in our neighborhood. Our HOA pays for him to act as extra security for all the paranoid people. Mostly our neighborhood, but two smaller ones nearby as well.
I do not have any information on incidents that have happened. I haven't heard of anything. Several houses have Trump flags and one particularly atrocious house has like three or four in the windows. It's super obnoxious.
The officer posted this on our neighborhood Facebook page.
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sctiger
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Post by sctiger on Jan 14, 2021 8:52:48 GMT -6
Here’s my take: this is not good professional communication from a member of the police department. I doubt it meets their social media standards if he’s writing it on official business. In my city, the police chief will sometimes post on our Nextdoor. It’s only for official business and to address a specific event or issue. For example, they posted last year to explain their stance and adoption of the 8 can’t wait police reform measures. I think they have limited posting/interaction ability by design on nextdoor. If there is a specific crime or an advisory they post about it. But they don’t just interact with the public on regular posts. I think he’s likely putting the police department at a liability by posting general warnings like this without specific information. I would probably copy and paste it and send it via email to chief of police in your town and inquire if this fits the communication policy for their department. This is what my husband and I talked about doing. Police departments protect each other though so I don't know if it will do any good but I'm planning to send the screenshot.
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Pistol
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Post by Pistol on Jan 14, 2021 8:55:20 GMT -6
So my perspective is of a small town resident but I would probably just be cranky about it and move on. When our local school district parents organized a meeting about arming teachers (it was not school board sponsored, just a group of parents who evidently thought it would be a good idea 🙄) the chief of city police was there fear mongering and being ridiculous. I may have gotten mouthy and called him on his bullshit but it didn't change anything.
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Post by coffeecake on Jan 14, 2021 8:58:10 GMT -6
When you say the HOA pays for him, does that mean he’s doing this job as private security? Like when he’s not on duty with the police department?
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Post by Uncaripswife on Jan 14, 2021 8:58:16 GMT -6
Did he post it under his own FB account (Bob Smith)? Does his account indicate he's a City of X police officer. He seems to be holding himself out (in this post) as acting in his official capacity. The city he works for should be made aware, in case it violates their social media policy.
Also, constitutional rights are not absolute.
Also also, this is clearly not directed to anyone, but rather is directed specifically towards people who don't "support the president."
Also #3 I don't know why he mentions discrimination because that's not happening in his fact pattern.
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Post by theseaword on Jan 14, 2021 8:59:23 GMT -6
I don't like the last bit. I could see him making a reminder that certain activities are illegal (such as threatening, harassment, or mail tampering) if multiple homeowners have made complaints to him. Clarifying the law if he's the contracted law enforcement person is fine. But the whole "Do not demand liberty for yourself while being willing to deny it from others. I will be watching" part doesnt sound like a law enforcement memo. Has he sent other communications in the past that are similar, if not political? Like discussing complaints from the neighborhood or clarifying the law? Or was this the first time he's sent anything like this?
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Post by Uncaripswife on Jan 14, 2021 8:59:45 GMT -6
Here’s my take: this is not good professional communication from a member of the police department. I doubt it meets their social media standards if he’s writing it on official business. In my city, the police chief will sometimes post on our Nextdoor. It’s only for official business and to address a specific event or issue. For example, they posted last year to explain their stance and adoption of the 8 can’t wait police reform measures. I think they have limited posting/interaction ability by design on nextdoor. If there is a specific crime or an advisory they post about it. But they don’t just interact with the public on regular posts. I think he’s likely putting the police department at a liability by posting general warnings like this without specific information. I would probably copy and paste it and send it via email to chief of police in your town and inquire if this fits the communication policy for their department. This is what my husband and I talked about doing. Police departments protect each other though so I don't know if it will do any good but I'm planning to send the screenshot. Send it to Internal Affairs. This opinion brought to you by every cop show on tv. 🤣
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ktg
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Post by ktg on Jan 14, 2021 9:04:49 GMT -6
This is what my husband and I talked about doing. Police departments protect each other though so I don't know if it will do any good but I'm planning to send the screenshot. Send it to Internal Affairs. This opinion brought to you by every cop show on tv. 🤣 Rolling in here like
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sctiger
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Post by sctiger on Jan 14, 2021 9:04:51 GMT -6
When you say the HOA pays for him, does that mean he’s doing this job as private security? Like when he’s not on duty with the police department? I'm not 100% sure on this. We've had an officer for a long long time but this guy has been here for about a year maybe? I'm pretty sure he's contracted out specifically to our neighborhood 40 hours a week and the rest of the time he can do whatever for the county police department. ETA his post was from a personal account.
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Post by greykitty on Jan 14, 2021 9:08:31 GMT -6
He’s hired by your HOA? I’d start by requesting them to neutralize his warnings by not referencing any party specifically. If he’s being that specific at their request you have an issue with them; if he’s not compliant with the contract signed with the community, that’s another I think.
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sctiger
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Post by sctiger on Jan 14, 2021 9:17:49 GMT -6
I don't like the last bit. I could see him making a reminder that certain activities are illegal (such as threatening, harassment, or mail tampering) if multiple homeowners have made complaints to him. Clarifying the law if he's the contracted law enforcement person is fine. But the whole "Do not demand liberty for yourself while being willing to deny it from others. I will be watching" part doesnt sound like a law enforcement memo. Has he sent other communications in the past that are similar, if not political? Like discussing complaints from the neighborhood or clarifying the law? Or was this the first time he's sent anything like this? There was a post before the election directed "to the teenage girls that are stealing Trump signs, when I find you, you are going to be very disappointed with the outcome. Stop now. One more sign taken and you will be pursued and taken to jail." Other than that it's mostly posts about car break ins and such.
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Post by coffeecake on Jan 14, 2021 9:28:23 GMT -6
When you say the HOA pays for him, does that mean he’s doing this job as private security? Like when he’s not on duty with the police department? I'm not 100% sure on this. We've had an officer for a long long time but this guy has been here for about a year maybe? I'm pretty sure he's contracted out specifically to our neighborhood 40 hours a week and the rest of the time he can do whatever for the county police department. ETA his post was from a personal account. If he is working as an officer through the police department I really don’t like it and I don’t think the wording is appropriate. If he’s working as private security, I still don’t like it, but I’m not sure what you can do besides complain to your HOA.The middle two paragraphs don’t bother me so much, but the first and last are not okay. He should not be bringing tRump into it at all and the last sounds very threatening.
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Post by lemondrop on Jan 14, 2021 9:31:34 GMT -6
It's concerning that a member of law enforcement thinks that constitutional rights are absolute. Becaaaaaause no. Also, "fowl language". Fowl are birds, bruh.
And the "I will be watching" is so unbelievably inappropriate given he's shown absolutely no proof of any harassment or intimidation.
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Dr. Cox
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Post by Dr. Cox on Jan 14, 2021 9:44:46 GMT -6
I would complain to your HOA and request he be removed from the position. Do you have neighbors you can talk to who would also do this? Numbers are a good idea in this scenario.
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lizblue
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Post by lizblue on Jan 14, 2021 9:49:53 GMT -6
+1 to bringing this to your HOA. They pay him for a service. That service is for all people, of all political persuasions. HOA (his employer in this situation) should tell him to knock it off.
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Post by Uncaripswife on Jan 14, 2021 10:08:38 GMT -6
Is your HOA board a bunch of Trumpers and Back the Blue folks? Because, if so, taking it to your HOA isn't going to do diddly squat.
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sctiger
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Post by sctiger on Jan 14, 2021 10:15:40 GMT -6
Is your HOA board a bunch of Trumpers and Back the Blue folks? Because, if so, taking it to your HOA isn't going to do diddly squat. It's mixed. Due to the size of the neighborhood our HOA is pretty big. The person in charge of our part of the neighborhood is a mega liberal so he can help our case!
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sctiger
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Post by sctiger on Jan 14, 2021 10:18:52 GMT -6
I talked to a friend, who is white and has a black son (adopted) who is in my daughter's class and they are friends, and we are going to start a Facebook group of neighborhood progressives so we can work together. She worries about him given the current climate especially.
Blue politics in a red area is no joke!
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willow
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Post by willow on Jan 14, 2021 10:38:47 GMT -6
I don't like the last bit. I could see him making a reminder that certain activities are illegal (such as threatening, harassment, or mail tampering) if multiple homeowners have made complaints to him. Clarifying the law if he's the contracted law enforcement person is fine. But the whole "Do not demand liberty for yourself while being willing to deny it from others. I will be watching" part doesnt sound like a law enforcement memo. Has he sent other communications in the past that are similar, if not political? Like discussing complaints from the neighborhood or clarifying the law? Or was this the first time he's sent anything like this? There was a post before the election directed "to the teenage girls that are stealing Trump signs, when I find you, you are going to be very disappointed with the outcome. Stop now. One more sign taken and you will be pursued and taken to jail." Other than that it's mostly posts about car break ins and such. WTF. This language is so inappropriate.
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AmyG
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Post by AmyG on Jan 14, 2021 11:03:24 GMT -6
I would complain to hoa and police both. He seems to think he has way more power than he really does. Every crime still needs to be reported to actual police, not this hoa security guy.
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Post by sweptaway on Jan 14, 2021 11:15:55 GMT -6
It's concerning that a member of law enforcement thinks that constitutional rights are absolute. Becaaaaaause no. Also, "fowl language". Fowl are birds, bruh. And the "I will be watching" is so unbelievably inappropriate given he's shown absolutely no proof of any harassment or intimidation. Yes I'm laughing pretty hard at fowl language I agree with escalating this but also would like more clarification on his role with regards to police department vs HOA. I'd escalate in both directions, probably. I think it's really inappropriate for a police officer to be speaking on rules of law like that, as there is very little this one individual officer could legally do regarding this possible complaints, and it's inappropriate for him to suggest that the correct channel to file a complaint with the police is to DM him on social media.
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Post by sweptaway on Jan 14, 2021 11:16:12 GMT -6
I would complain to hoa and police both. He seems to think he has way more power than he really does. Every crime still needs to be reported to actual police, not this hoa security guy. Or what Amy said
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