Facebook comments cost another officer his job

[letmesleep]

I got this in an e-mail yesterday.......When will it ever sink in that work related discussions on "Facebook" and "MYSPACE" are just NOT a good idea?

Facebook comments cost another officer his job

From The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 9

SANDY SPRINGS, GA – An attorney for a Sandy Springs police officer who was fired for a Facebook posting says what happened to his client could happen to anyone.

"Not only is it a censorship issue that everyone needs to know about," said Mike Puglise. "They are not only saying that you can't write it, but also that they can interpret what the content means."

O.J. Concepcion, 33, of Morrow says he was fired from a job he held for nearly four years because of comments he posted on the social networking Web site Facebook. Some of those posts included details about his police work, he said, such as the fact he was working with the FBI on a drug case.

One of the posts said, "I'm going to be working in plain clothes tonight," Puglise said. Another post mentioned that Concepcion was frustrated at work.

But Concepcion said he was just excited about his job, and never released confidential information. He says other officers have posted racially insensitive information, but have not faced any disciplinary action.

"Nothing was derogatory," said Concepcion, who spent seven years with the DeKalb County police force. "I posted that stuff for my friends and family to read, not for the public."

The Sandy Springs police department cannot comment about the incident because it is a personnel issue, according to Lt. Steve Rose and Wendell Willard, the city attorney. The AJC has submitted an Open Records Request to obtain Concepcion's employment file.

Concepcion's Facebook profile is private, meaning only those who are "friends" with him have access to his information. Most of those friends are fellow officers and relatives, he said.

But it was one of the friends, someone Concepcion said he knew prior to working in Sandy Springs, that apparently thought the Facebook postings were not appropriate. That person complained to supervisors, Concepcion said. On Nov. 16, he was placed on administrative leave with pay. On Dec. 2, he was terminated. He was never given a warning about Facebook comments, Concepcion said.

Concepcion will ask for a grievance hearing, according to Puglise, and will likely file an EEOC complaint. Puglise, who spent 16 years as an officer before becoming a lawyer, says Concepcion may also be a victim of racial discrimination, since he is Latino.

Additionally, Puglise said the Sandy Springs police department currently does not have a policy in place addressing social media. Puglise and Concepcion contend the postings were misinterpreted.

Many other metro Atlanta police departments also don't have policies about Facebook-type Web sites. But some are in the process of addressing the issue of social media.

In Gwinnett County, members of the police department are prohibited from posting on a social media site anything that relates him or her to the department, according to Cpl. David Schiralli. The department implemented its policy before any major problems arose from employees using the sites. The Atlanta police department is currently working on a policy to address electronic communication, according to Sgt. Lisa Keyes. The Smyrna police department is also in the process of developing a social media policy, Officer Michael Smith said.

Although there isn't a specific policy regarding Facebook for Marietta police, the release of sensitive information is not allowed, according to Officer Jenny Murphy. Joe Hernandez, Cobb County police spokesman, said the same is true for his force.

But with more and more people relying on sites such as Facebook to share information, employers may have to institute specific policies regarding what individuals are allowed to post online.

"Where do they draw the line?" Concepcion asked. "Everyone is using it."

[FireMedic65]

Facebook... stopping criminals one post at a time!

I would like to see what he actually posted, since saying he was going to be wearing street clothes doesn't sound like such a big deal. Unless someone on his friends list was a spy for the drug lords who would relay information saying look out for this guy in the sneakers! He did, however, potentially screw up a FBI investigation. Surly they would not be too happy about that.

This is one of the reasons why everything on my facebook is private. I don't post stuff about work related things. I even removed myself from the indexing so you can't find me on google searches. Do I have anything to hide? No, of course not, but I like to keep my private life private. Too many nosey people out there who just want to get someone else in trouble for whatever reason. Some things what are said on facebook should not be said of course, but that's why you can comment on them, or chose to ignore them.

Loss of a job might be a bit extreme, but we don't know exactly what he was posting. If he was just saying stuff like "lots of traffic stops tonight... people are idiots" so what? I have had a cop call me a moron to my face before. Did he get fired for that? Doubtful! Just an example though of course.

[Lone Star]

This is one of the reasons why everything on my facebook is private. I don't post stuff about work related things. I even removed myself from the indexing so you can't find me on google searches. Do I have anything to hide? No, of course not, but I like to keep my private life private.

First off, if you like to 'keep my private life private', then why post on a social networking site? I would think that if you wanted to let family/friends know what's going on, an email would be a better way to do it.

It's cases like this that make me glad I don't have a facebook/myspace/twitter account!

I'll let people know whats going on in my life either by email, phone or carrier pigeon! I only post what I want people to know, not every bloody detail of my personal life!

I'm not trying to bust anyone's chops that DOES have a 'social networking account', I just don't see the need to post EVERY detail of my life online for the whole world to see...

[letmesleep]

I found some more information about this story.

http://www.ajc.com/news/north-fulton/officer-facebook-postings-didn-235017.html

Looks like an attempt at justification to me.

[scubanurse]

The link is to the exact same story you posted in the body of the thread... how is that more information?

[letmesleep]

The link is to the exact same story you posted in the body of the thread... how is that more information?

Good catch, Thanks

[Richard B the EMT]

I'll let people know whats going on in my life either by email, phone or carrier pigeon! I only post what I want people to know, not every bloody detail of my personal life!

Now that you've implied that you use carrier pigeons, I'm reporting you to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals!

LOL.

As for my postings on Facebook, I have only mentioned feeling the loss of parts of my childhood, with the deaths of wrestler "Captain" Lou Albano, TV personality Soupy Sales, and singer Mary Travers (of "Peter, Paul and Mary"), and that I got stuck in a snowdrift with my new (from June) minivan, in Saturday night's foot deep snowstorm.

A side observation: In a recent episode of NCIS-LA, the computer nerd stated he had just gotten 1,000 "friends", with #500 being the NCIS Director. This, from a guy working what is indirectly a spy/counterintellegence agency?

[FireMedic65]

I post the most intimate details of my life. Every 5 minutes, I update. Getting a drink. Just finished my drink. I just burped, etc etc.

Just because it's a social networking site, doesn't mean what you do on there is all personal. For example, my current "status" is "cheeseburgers nom nom nom nom" LOOK OUT!!! CALL PETA!!

[fireflymedic]

I post the most intimate details of my life. Every 5 minutes, I update. Getting a drink. Just finished my drink. I just burped, etc etc.

Just because it's a social networking site, doesn't mean what you do on there is all personal. For example, my current "status" is "cheeseburgers nom nom nom nom" LOOK OUT!!! CALL PETA!!

I'm on the phone now ! I'm a member of PETA (People Eating Tasty Animals) and I want some !

[FireMedic65]

I'm on the phone now ! I'm a member of PETA (People Eating Tasty Animals) and I want some !

Oh it was a lovely burger too! Classic "California" burger, but it was just super awesome. Fresh cut fries (chili on top with cheese) too. Happy Plate