We have all heard the harsh comments about police indiscipline and the countless complaints about police brutality. Well, in this story, the roles are reversed: the cops are complaining about the criminals! In the midst of the recent murder spree where one prominent gang figure was killed, a police constable posted a very cold and inflammatory comment on facebook on Sunday stating that "It is good that they are dead". That is just a part of it, we had to blur out a few incendiary sections of the comment. Now, while police officers like regular citizens have the right and freedom to express themselves, shouldn't they use their discretion as police officers? And where is the line drawn since their role is to maintain peace and order not incite or encourage violence. We asked Commissioner Whylie about it yesterday.
Allen Whylie, Commissioner of Police
"What I would say is that, if he did that then as a police officer, I view it as very distasteful and unwarranted. Yes as a civilian he has the right to express himself and how he feels but, one of the challenges we face is that even when as individual citizens and we do have certain rights. Whenever we speak and whenever there is an incident. First and foremost, people associate you as a police officer or whatever official. So we cannot necessarily divorce ourselves from that. As we are not trying to muzzle our officers from speaking. That policy will prohibit them from engaging in certain activities. It will prohibit them from sharing official information that they get as a police officer on Facebook and other social media site."
The social media policy that Whylie spoke about in the interview should be implemented in May.
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