Former Sheriff Warns Officers To Be Careful What They Post On Social Media After Shootings
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The shooting deaths of two New York City Police officers has prompted fears about the safety of law enforcement officers nationwide.
Law enforcement professionals are asking officers across the country to be on high alert after the ambush and murder of two of their own.
Former Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness says most officers in California wear bulletproof vests, but he believes they should be just as vigilant in protecting themselves and their families on social media.
"I refer to that as a healthy sense of paranoia, and I don't think that's a bad thing for law enforcement officers to have in the 21st century either," he said.
He also believes officers should be careful not to provoke protesters through social media posts.
"These are things that can be subpoenaed and people can be called into court after the fact when something goes bad, and it's just best an area not ventured at all," he said.
A San Jose Police officer, Phillip White, recently used his Twitter account to post controversial comments to supporters of Eric Garner and Michael Brown:
"Threaten me or my family and I will use my God given and law appointed right and duty to kill you. #CopsLivesMatter."
In another, he stated
"By the way if anyone feels they can't breathe or their lives matter I'll be at the movies tonight, off duty, carrying my gun."
White was placed on administrative leave, McGinness says there can be unexpected consequences.
"To give a map to an officer's most intimate elements of vulnerability, I think is a big mistake," he said.
