Watchdog: SPD Employee Posted Text-To-911 Conversations Online

SEATTLE, WA — A Seattle Police Department employee violated policy when he posted screenshots of Text-to-911 conversations to his personal Instagram account last year, according to findings published Thursday by the city's Office of Police Accountability.

King County's 911 texting system is still relatively new, having launched in December 2018.

According to the OPA's report, investigators reviewed the employee's social media account in April 2019 after an SPD communications manager was given screenshots of confidential 911 conversations posted to Instagram.

Watchdog investigators reviewed a series of posts where he had written "LOL" above a text exchange with a person who used profanity and racial slurs while reporting a crime. The OPA said a second series of posts showed a gun-related crime being reported and, in that case, the reporting person's name was included in the screenshot.

In an interview with the employee, the OPA said he admitted posting the screenshots and acknowledged the first post was a real exchange with a community member. He told investigators he was frustrated with the person for typing up police resources.

The employee said the second post was fictional, and the result of him and another co-worker testing the new system. He told investigators he posted the second exchange in an attempt to be funny.

According to the OPA, when investigators asked the employee if he thought the posts might undermine the public's confidence in the department, he replied, "I suppose," but claimed his posts were misconstrued and reported to a supervisor by a co-worker who "should know better."

OPA Director Andrew Myerberg wrote in a case summary report that the employee's actions were both a violation of SPD's policies and public trust.

"Based on a review of the evidence, [the employee] knowingly and intentionally posted confidential information on Instagram. When he did so, he posted speech that negatively impacted the Department’s ability to serve the public. Community members – even those that may use profane and despicable speech – should not fear the dissemination of their information and crime reports by Department employees on social media sites."

The OPA found two violations to SPD social media policy and an additional violation related to professional standards. The employee resigned before potential disciplinary actions could be determined. He has not been publicly identified.