PGPD officer on administrative leave after alleged social media posts surface
PACIFIC GROVE, Calif. (KION) A Pacific Grove police officer is in hot water over alleged social media posts on a personal account that showcase anti-Black Lives Matter sentiment.
While some people are defending it as freedom of speech, others are calling for the officer's firing.
One of the alleged posts in question was provided to KION by a Pacific Grove resident and confirmed by the city's police department as the post under investigation. It features the phrase "F--- Black Lives Matter" and was posted on an alternative social media site called Parler.
That officer is now on administrative leave as police launch an independent investigation into the controversy that has riled up some in the town. Because this is a personnel matter, the chief says there is not much she can say at the moment, but she calls the alleged posts "egregious" and not representative of her department.
"Well he's gotta go. Absolutely got to go. There's no place for this type of person within the city," said Carlos Leyva, a Pacific Grove resident.
PG Police Chief Cathy Madalone says on Saturday, the post was brought to her attention after it was posted on Parler, which brands itself as a place for "free expression without violence and no censorship."
In another Parler post, the same username used by the officer seems to be showing support for Kyle Rittenhouse, the teen who was accused of fatally shooting two people during summer protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
According to CBS News: "Rittenhouse was charged as an adult with two counts of first-degree homicide and one count of attempted homicide and is also facing charges of recklessly endangering the safety of two other victims and possessing a weapon while under the age of 18. Rittenhouse's lawyers claim he acted in self-defense."
Now, an independent investigation has been called in to review these alleged posts made by the officer.
"To say that I'm deeply disturbed is an understatement. I assure you that I'm taking this very seriously. I understand that this officer has rights, but I also understand the public sentiment concerns over this," said Chief Madalone.
Little is being revealed about the officer except that he has been at the department for about three years and is not caucasian. Police say this is the same officer who was investigated back in May for having controversial decals on his car, including a Three Percenter logo and a Punisher-like logo.
Some residents complained the decals represent extremist views, something which the officer denied. An investigation ultimately cleared the officer of any wrongdoing or violating any department policies.
Others in the community are defending his right to freely express his views.
"I think an investigation is pointless. What he did is on his own personal time and his own personal social media accounts," said Lyle Skeen, a Monterey area resident.
A petition has garnered over a thousand signatures now calling for the officer's removal. The police chief says the city takes any allegations of this type of misconduct extremely seriously.
The investigation in May found that the officer in question is not part of any hate or militia group.
PREVIOUS ARTICLE: A Pacific Grove police officer is on administrative leave after allegedly posting disparaging comments relating to the Black Lives Matter movement on his personal social media account.
The police chief says there is now an independent investigation into the posts.
Police administrators say this is the same officer who posted controversial decals on his vehicle and became part of an internal investigation back in May.
