Found why LAPD was asking me for my EMAIL Durning background.

[HIM]

I don't THINK there would be anything on my FB to DQ me in the eyes of a BI. Afterall I do have my family on my FB, and I don't post anything on there that I would consider to be offensive in the least. *other than my conservative political views.
But going through email, and private messages and txt messages of candidates I feel is a bit much.
Police officers are allowed to have private lives, and private converstaions, and private thoughts. Most of which will not interfear with the day to day actions and decisions of an officer.

What do you all think?

Police recruits screened for digital dirt on Facebook, etc. - USATODAY.com

[GoDirectly2Jail]

I don't THINK there would be anything on my FB to DQ me in the eyes of a BI. Afterall I do have my family on my FB, and I don't post anything on there that I would consider to be offensive in the least. *other than my conservative political views.
But going through email, and private messages and txt messages of candidates I feel is a bit much.
Police officers are allowed to have private lives, and private converstaions, and private thoughts. Most of which will not interfear with the day to day actions and decisions of an officer.

What do you all think?

Police recruits screened for digital dirt on Facebook, etc. - USATODAY.com

Officers are allowed to have private lives and thoughts - but a post on Facebook is far from 'private'. I think an agency would be remiss if they did not search publicly available information to make sure a potential candidate meshes with the behavior standards outlined by that department.

[HIM]

Officers are allowed to have private lives and thoughts - but a post on Facebook is far from 'private'. I think an agency would be remiss if they did not search publicly available information to make sure a potential candidate meshes with the behavior standards outlined by that department.

I totally agree with you.
However the article states that agencies are also going through TXT message records, and personal EMAIL.
I agree with not wanting to hiresomeone that goes goes on a public rant. just my two cents.

[MikeG]

Email address seems legit as well as all username and psuedonyms. Passwords, however, raise some red flags. I could imagine a BI requesting you to log in while he is there and go through it with you without warning. This is the electronic equivalent of showing up at your house unannounced. You should let him in. But I think it would be strange if they asked for the key and let themselves in while you weren't there.

If your privacy settings are such that a BI sees anything or finds anything from a search, you should rethink your privacy settings. It's extra fun to see them bring up on the overhead in the Academy for your classmates to see, especially the pictures and/or personal information that isn't protected. I don't recall them having punishment but since they get punishment for not securing physical property, I suspect it's not out of the realm of possibility of doing pushups for that picture that you already regret.

I'm not a cop but it was still entertaining.

[greg72982]

Email address seems legit as well as all username and psuedonyms. Passwords, however, raise some red flags. I could imagine a BI requesting you to log in while he is there and go through it with you without warning. This is the electronic equivalent of showing up at your house unannounced. You should let him in. But I think it would be strange if they asked for the key and let themselves in while you weren't there.

If your privacy settings are such that a BI sees anything or finds anything from a search, you should rethink your privacy settings. It's extra fun to see them bring up on the overhead in the Academy for your classmates to see, especially the pictures and/or personal information that isn't protected. I don't recall them having punishment but since they get punishment for not securing physical property, I suspect it's not out of the realm of possibility of doing pushups for that picture that you already regret.

I'm not a cop but it was still entertaining.

My bigger concern with any prospective agency would be my posts on here, even though 95% of the time I only mess around.

[MikeG]

My bigger concern with any prospective agency would be my posts on here, even though 95% of the time I only mess around.

Seriously, from a recent case here in AZ, you should not post anything that you would not want in the paper.

The local case wasn't internet but it was an officer playing a practical joke. They were messing with a local vagrant and joked that they found a crack pipe on him. They didn't charge the vagrant as all the officers knew it was a joke. The real-life equivalent of "trolling" to get a rise out of the vagrant. It was caught on camera. Investigation ensued and police dept took minimal disciplinary action. But prosecutors felt that "falsely planting a crack pipe" would need to be disclosed to the defense to comply with Brady ruling, whence he as added to "Brady List." Brady List is usually associated with dishonesty. This officer was completely honest with investigators. He had no idea it was videotaped. Nevertheless, prosecutors didn't want to risk non-disclosure and jeopardize a conviction so "safe than sorry" was used. I'm sure you are aware of the stigma of being on the Brady List. The officer subsequently got in trouble and the paper published his Brady story with video showing crack pipe plant in a "see how bad this guy is?" story. Two other officers that didn't report the incident were not put on the brady list (they didn't handle the crack pipe). Another officer who did handle the pipe was also put on the Brady List. I understand the arguments of both sides and I am sympathetic to both the prosecutor and officer. It turns a joke into a tragedy.

I guess the moral of the story is don't post or do anything a court could possibly construe as impeaching your credibility. It could end up following you permanently even before any case makes it to court.

(and yes I realize that actually planting a crack pipe is a lot more severe than posting on the internet, but there will be a "first" officer that gets added to Brady List based on something they wrote on the internet. Don't be that guy. Standard Non-LEO, non-lawyer, my 0.02 disclaimer applies.)

[greg72982]

Seriously, from a recent case here in AZ, you should not post anything that you would not want in the paper.

The local case wasn't internet but it was an officer playing a practical joke. They were messing with a local vagrant and joked that they found a crack pipe on him. They didn't charge the vagrant as all the officers knew it was a joke. The real-life equivalent of "trolling" to get a rise out of the vagrant. It was caught on camera. Investigation ensued and police dept took minimal disciplinary action. But prosecutors felt that "falsely planting a crack pipe" would need to be disclosed to the defense to comply with Brady ruling, whence he as added to "Brady List." Brady List is usually associated with dishonesty. This officer was completely honest with investigators. He had no idea it was videotaped. Nevertheless, prosecutors didn't want to risk non-disclosure and jeopardize a conviction so "safe than sorry" was used. I'm sure you are aware of the stigma of being on the Brady List. The officer subsequently got in trouble and the paper published his Brady story with video showing crack pipe plant in a "see how bad this guy is?" story. Two other officers that didn't report the incident were not put on the brady list (they didn't handle the crack pipe). Another officer who did handle the pipe was also put on the Brady List. I understand the arguments of both sides and I am sympathetic to both the prosecutor and officer. It turns a joke into a tragedy.

I guess the moral of the story is don't post or do anything a court could possibly construe as impeaching your credibility. It could end up following you permanently even before any case makes it to court.

(and yes I realize that actually planting a crack pipe is a lot more severe than posting on the internet, but there will be a "first" officer that gets added to Brady List based on something they wrote on the internet. Don't be that guy. Standard Non-LEO, non-lawyer, my 0.02 disclaimer applies.)

I am well aware with each post I make, even in the verified section, that it is accessible by people everywhere. I don't think I cross any lines.

[MikeG]

I am well aware with each post I make, even in the verified section, that it is accessible by people everywhere. I don't think I cross any lines.

I don't think I've seen any bad posts by anybody here. Ihope I didn't come across too personal. I like telling stories so you opened the door for one. It's a Captain Obvious story but still....

[greg72982]

I don't think I've seen any bad posts by anybody here. Ihope I didn't come across too personal. I like telling stories so you opened the door for one. It's a Captain Obvious story but still....

You'd think it'd be obvious yet I see my cop friends post stupid stuff that could get them jammed up almost on a daily basis. I'm talking Facebook though, not on here.

[HIM]

You'd think it'd be obvious yet I see my cop friends post stupid stuff that could get them jammed up almost on a daily basis. I'm talking Facebook though, not on here.

I am not worried at all... My mom is on my facebook, and I wouldn't ever post anything on there that I would have to hear from her about... LOL

[Adrenolize]

I saw another article similar to what the OP first put on there.

Personally, I think FB and the rest is stupid. I enjoyed it for a time, but dropped it about 6-8 months ago as it is just too much of a liability. These days, cameras are everywhere, and I don't want to be jammed up because something I post was taken the wrong way or a friend posted what they thought was a funny picture. The fact that FB engages in shady behavior like allowing 3rd parties access upset me. I had all the security settings set all the way up, but still got advertisements on FB targeted to my interests. I don't trust it, and it isn't worth my career.

I am very against looking at text messages and Emails. Those can no way be considered a public forum.

These are scary times. Technology is advancing so fast, no one is asking if we 'should' use all of our capabilities. My answer is to turn off access to my life from those sites. I only post on here about anything, and I'm pretty darn careful with what I do.

[retdetsgt]

The only reason I'm so open with my views, etc. is because I'm retired. If I were still working, I'd play my cards a lot closer to my chest here and everywhere else.

A corrections deputy here just lost his job for bragging about thumping some prisoner a couple of years ago. Some people are just stupid and mistake the Internet for a bar stool, I guess.....

But I can't imagine giving anyone access to my email. What I put out there for the public is one thing, private correspondence is another.

I dumped my FB account after only a few months. I thought it was boring and like Adrenolize, I didn't care much for the FB company itself.

[mcsap]

I have a FB account but maybe once a month ( or less) , I activate it , look around and than close it again. It is open no longer than a few minutes and RARELY do I post anything there. Some of my extended relatives don't see the concern but I do. ( And I dont post anything that is in anyway bad , I just dont want someone twisting something I said into something bad).

[greg72982]

I saw another article similar to what the OP first put on there.

Personally, I think FB and the rest is stupid. I enjoyed it for a time, but dropped it about 6-8 months ago as it is just too much of a liability. These days, cameras are everywhere, and I don't want to be jammed up because something I post was taken the wrong way or a friend posted what they thought was a funny picture. The fact that FB engages in shady behavior like allowing 3rd parties access upset me. I had all the security settings set all the way up, but still got advertisements on FB targeted to my interests. I don't trust it, and it isn't worth my career.

I am very against looking at text messages and Emails. Those can no way be considered a public forum.

These are scary times. Technology is advancing so fast, no one is asking if we 'should' use all of our capabilities. My answer is to turn off access to my life from those sites. I only post on here about anything, and I'm pretty darn careful with what I do.

Just read this the other day: New Facebook privacy tip: 'Super-logoff' - CNN.com

I may start doing this, even though my only status updates are about the Steelers, Penguins, and general rants about nothing.

I dumped my FB account after only a few months. I thought it was boring and like Adrenolize, I didn't care much for the FB company itself.

May I suggest rejoining and partaking in Mafia Wars and numerous game show games like the Price is Right.

[Adrenolize]

Just read this the other day: New Facebook privacy tip: 'Super-logoff' - CNN.com

I may start doing this, even though my only status updates are about the Steelers, Penguins, and general rants about nothing.

I just don't trust them. Maybe I've seen too many 80's movies, but they are a big corporation and make money on OUR information that too many freely give. They, like Google, gather all that info and try to find somewhere to plug it in for the biggest return. I'm not against companies making money, or even being profit driven. I just saw the writing on the wall when school teachers started getting jacked up from Facebook. Then it became a recruiting hazard when companies checked first. I'm not old, but I think the current generation too freely surrenders the privacy. Now the government is going to start finding ways to get into all that info. Will they come after taxes based on you bragging about a trip or something you bought/ sold? (wow, I'm sounding conspiracy nut here!)

Anyway, today, it seems like the media's favorite news story is about an officer going down over misconduct. They can't railroad me on something if they can't get the info! You watch, it is going to get more rediculous in the next few years how deep in our lives we let companies and governments get so we have the priveledge of posting that 'I'm going to the grocery store' to all of my 'friends' of which I only know 15.