Posted on 01/29/2010 4:31:58 PM PST by from occupied ga
ANTA -- An Atlanta man claims he was arrested for catching an on-duty officer chatting on Facebook.
Chandler Brown told Channel 2 Action News reporter Erin Coleman that he has since filed a formal complaint with the Atlanta Police Department and the mayor's office.
Coleman obtained a copy of that complaint, which makes startling accusations about the officer allegedly chatting on Facebook when he was on the job.
“It was Thanksgiving night … my friend called me and said, ‘I’ve been in an accident,’” said Brown. Brown said he immediately hailed a cab and went to the scene on Interstate 85 near Cheshire Bridge Road. Brown said his friend wanted to leave, and as they pulled off, they were stopped by police because she couldn’t leave the scene of an accident. So they were put in the back of an Atlanta police car, and that’s when Brown said he noticed something.
“The police officer was chatting on Facebook,” said Brown. “I think that’s wrong.”
So Brown took out his cell phone and took a picture. That’s when he claims the officer arrested him. “Pulled me out of the car, grabbed my phone, and I said I don’t think I’m breaking the law here … I’m not under arrest,” said Brown.
Brown said the officer then said “Well, you’re under arrest now.”
Brown said the officer handcuffed him, took the phone and hauled him off to jail.
Brown claims he was never read his rights and the officer wouldn’t give him his name. As for that picture, Brown said when officers returned his phone, the picture was gone. Brown was charged with giving false information to an officer, even though he wasn't involved in the accident. Brown went to court last week.
“The judge said, ‘There’s no evidence here, this is a joke and threw it out,” said Brown. That’s why now, Brown has filed a formal complaint and hopes to shed light on what he calls a misuse of time and taxpayer money.
“I can’t sit on Facebook at work all day and neither can you. Why should someone whose salary is being paid by the taxpayers,” he said.
No one from the Atlanta Police Department would talk to Channel 2 on camera. They did tell us they've forwarded the complaint on to the division of professional standards and are looking into it.
Late Thursday, we learned that Brown, a former Channel 2 employee, got a call from police saying they are taking his complaint seriously.
And as far as taking it seriously, this means that they're getting their stories straight
Patiently awaiting the Judge to issue arrest warrants for this officer, for illegal arrest, violation of civil rights and possibly false statements surround the arrest...
Waiting....
Waiting....
Waiting....
I really don’t see a problem with it, Facebook is like calling your wife from work - just a different form of communication. I’d rather an officer spend free minutes here and there on the web communicating and perhaps learning something than just staring out the window.
His actions are another story though...
Brown said when officers returned his phone, the picture was gone.
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Recovering the photo is quite easy to do .. the pointer to the data is just deleted ,, same as on a pc when you delete a file. Any cell phone shop with repair software can do it.
Maybe for you and me, but if the officer thought there wasn't anything wrong, why did he arrest the guy? Obviously he wanted to cover up his actions and committed a felony to do so (false arrest is a felony). I'm not holding my breath for the cop to get charged with anything however.
You'll keep waiting a LONG time.
Here's hoping that the police didn't know that and take more robust measures.
If the police officer thought what he was doing on Facebook was OK, he wouldn’t have reacted the way he did. His reaction shows guilt, IMO. And then they tampered with personal property of a citizen who did nothing!
btt
Well staring out the window the cop might see something useful to his purpose.
Staring that the computer certainly wont.
The rule here is: immediately mail such photos to yourself. Most phones can do this.
Therein lies the problem. There is no need to call your wife when you are at work. Dinner will be on the table when you get home from work, and you can talk to her then. Now get back to work.
Why is he dicking around on facebook when he’s supposed to be investigating a collision?
I guess that's what everyone wondered.
The picture can be retrieved from the phone even if it was deleted.
I hope the guy gets the picture restored. I heard on the news that the guy was formerly employed at the TV station that ran this story, so maybe he knows about that. I personally would like to see the cop jailed for false arrest, but the odds against that happening are pretty astronomical.
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