US safety trooper in trouble for Snoop Dogg photo
A happy snap posted on Instagram by rapper Snoop Dogg has put a Texas public safety officer in some serious trouble.
Trooper Billy Spears has been forced to undergo counselling by his department for being photographed next to Snoop Dogg, who is a well-known criminal, reports the Daily News.
The photograph that was posted on Snoop Dogg’s Instagram account two weeks ago, was taken at the South by Southwest music festival, held in Austin last month.
In the photo, Spears stands with his hands by his side while Snoop Dogg, who has been convicted several times of drug possession, poses with his arm on his soldier.
"Me n my deputy dogg," is how Snoop captioned the photo, which received more than 18,000 likes.
Spears' department eventually saw the photo and decided to take action even though the picture did not identify Spears or his department by name.
His superiors said Spears took a photo that included a public figure who had a well-known criminal background, which included numerous drug charges, according to documents KLTV7 obtained from his attorney,
"The public figure posted the photo on social media and it reflects poorly on the Agency."
In an area reserved on the document for “reasons given by employee for deficiencies” it reads: “He asked to take the photo.”
Spears is now fighting back, according to his attorney Ty Clevenger.
Clevenger told the Daily News that while Spears agreed to be photographed, he did not realise the rapper had drug convictions or that he would be affected by the convictions.
The Texas' Department of Public Safety declined to release specifics about his case, in a statement they released on Wednesday, but clarified that they don’t consider the reprimand to be a formal discipline.
"Supervisors counsel and coach employees on a regular basis, and these efforts do not constitute formal discipline by the department," they said, according to the Daily News.
Clevenger said that even though the disciplinary action is not formal, it will stay on Spears’ record and cannot be appealed. A DPS spokeswoman declined to confirm that claim.
It is because of that Clevenger and his client are now planning to sue.
Mr Clevenger suggested that the motive for the reprimand could be related to when Spears reported an Alcoholic Beverage Commission officer for unprofessional conduct last year.
That complaint resulted in an investigation against Spears and his suspension which was later overturned when he was cleared of all wrong doing.
Morning news break – April 3
