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Police delete Facebook account after viral post

Published: 6 Aug 12 10:47 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/42446/20120806/

A police posting on Facebook detailing the arrest of a drunken teen received so much attention over the weekend that police chose to deactivate their account.

A police officer, from Växjö in southern Sweden, posted a message on Saturday explaining why and how a 16-year-old was arrested after his disorderly behavior.

However, after the post received almost 50,000 likes and thousands of comments, the police decided to shut down their account altogether.

“There is so much traffic and so many comments that we can’t keep it secure,” said Robert Loeffel of the Kronoberg police to the Aftonbladet newspaper

The Facebook post read:

“A little tip for youths: If you’re 16 years old, drunk, and holding a bottle full of liquor in your hand, it’s not especially clever to yell “F&#K THE POLICE” when we walk past.”

The post then suggested that any young people who find themselves in such a situation should “at least be able to run pretty fast”.

The post continued:

“I don’t know what’s more embarrassing for the boy that did this tonight – that he was caught by a fully equipped 40-year-old policeman or that his mother came to pick him up from the police station at three in the morning.”

While commenters labelled the posting as unprofessional, Loeffel was quick to point out that the youth’s identity was never revealed to the estimated 700,000 to 800,000 people who read the message.

“I don’t think the policeman who wrote this has done anything wrong. He has described an everyday event with a touch of humour, and he hasn’t singled out anyone,” he told the paper.

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11:28 August 6, 2012 by Keith #5083
Commentators labelling the post as 'unprofessional' need some professional training. No means of identifying the 'under-age drinking teen' were given and the police simply reported an almost everyday occurrence with a 'twist of humour'.

Significantly, they illuminated a symptom in society that highlights the fall in civil behaviour

to the point where even 'mature adults' wage war against officers paid to enforce laws written by lawmakers voted into power by society.

Nipping 'anti-social behaviour' in the bud,in such an amusing fashion, just might have a

postive effect. After all, the frustrated 'warrior spirit' of youth (and the not so young for that matter) has become a big issue in society - and we all pay for it.
11:54 August 6, 2012 by JulieLou40
I don't think the copper did anything wrong.
12:26 August 6, 2012 by azimuth
Agree with previous comments. Nothing wrong in the policeman's post.
12:54 August 6, 2012 by Swedish Cat
Agree with Keiths statements above. Facebook and twitter is our new way of communicating and why is it that the criminals always have more right than the police and the ones that are paying for this behaviour. Stop making excuses for the real problems and stop punishing the messenger.
12:57 August 6, 2012 by Opaline
Personally I thought the post was bloody funny when I read it the other day!
13:54 August 6, 2012 by GLO
Great Post !!!!
14:50 August 6, 2012 by colombianska_tjej
Hahahaha great post! Funny how they criticise the fact that the police posted it in FB, but say nothing about a 16 y.o. drinking alcohol
09:11 August 7, 2012 by Trenatos
Awesome, too bad they closed the account, they really should just have kept it open and continued :D

It's nice to see some of this reality and mentality of our police force while retaining professionalism.
10:10 August 7, 2012 by Borilla
Agree. Lets hope when things like this happen the police respond the same way -"professionally".
10:22 August 8, 2012 by Grokh
spoiled brat
02:55 August 9, 2012 by Spuds MacKenzie
I thought the post was HILARIOUS!! They should've never given in to public pressure and shut down their Facebook page.
14:37 August 10, 2012 by ann2
It's funny, you watch Cops and see that kind of behavior and the very professional response from the policement. Okay, the cops know they are on TV and the kids don't, but all I can think is the very same thing that this policeman posted -- don't be stupid!

But being drunk=being stupid right?
19:45 August 15, 2012 by Gwen Killerby
Yelling "F|_|CK the police" is too, FREEDOM OF SPEECH. Which was created EXACTLY for this purpose: to be able to criticize the powers that be, without fear of oppression. Due to American influence, we're slowly sliding backwards.
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