NYPD Criticized for ‘Irresponsible and Unprofessional’ Social Media

The New York Metropolis Division of Investigation is calling out prime NYPD officers whose social media posts replicate “irresponsible and unprofessional” habits.

A 44-page report launched on Jan. 28 revealed that NYPD executives’ social media accounts violated metropolis insurance policies regarding “courtesy and civility.” Notable offenders included NYPD Chief of Division John Chell and Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry, Gothamist reviews.

Based mostly on the findings, the DOI stated a few of the on-line habits stays inconclusive however did “increase questions” about whether or not the social media posts “could also be deemed prohibited engagement in political exercise by metropolis workers.”

“New York Metropolis deserves public officers who use social media responsibly, to speak correct info and to immediate respectful dialogue on problems with significance to the group, and never as a way to ridicule these with whom they disagree,” DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber stated in an announcement.

“No facet of the social media exchanges that DOI reviewed on this investigation served the general public.”

The NYPD, the nation’s largest police division, employs practically 50,000 personnel and aced scrutiny final 12 months for representing a combative tradition. Among the many combative behaviors embrace tweets from the NYPD’s government workers the place posts on X focused varied people, together with a Supreme Court docket decide, journalists, public members, and elected officers.

In 2024, Chell tweeted that sitting Councilmember Tiffany Cabán “hates our metropolis.” He shared the tweet after Cabán critiqued the NYPD’s response to anti-Israel protests on faculty campuses. In a follow-up tweet, he advised his followers to “vote the change you search,” an announcement that, in accordance with the report, might probably breach the Hatch Act, a federal legislation that restricts political actions of presidency workers concerned in federal applications.

There have been a number of situations the place Chell and Daughtry have been accused of assigning mocking nicknames to journalists whom they accused of spreading false details about the administration’s accomplishments. Investigators have decided that the net assaults violated basic inside tips.

“They violated division insurance policies associated to being courteous and civil, and lift questions with respect as to whether they might be deemed prohibited engagement in political exercise by Metropolis workers,” the report reads.

The NYPD responded to the report via a spokesperson, stating that the division has applied “important modifications to its social media practices” for the reason that investigation started final 12 months. Nevertheless, no phrase has been given on whether or not any officers would face penalties for breaching division coverage.

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