Toledo police stay alert to Facebook threats - 13abc.com Toledo (OH) News, Weather and Sports

Toledo police stay alert to Facebook threats

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TOLEDO, Ohio -

A memo was read to Toledo officers before they hit the streets. It's a warning about bounty style Facebook posts against officers.

"We don't want you on there in uniform doing police things talking about police events. In large part because of stuff like this," said Toledo Police Sgt. Joe Heffernan.
    
Sgt. Joe Heffernan says the department received a national alert about a Facebook page that was threatening to police officers from state to state.  The page was set up after a Philadelphia police officer was caught on video punching a woman in the face.  The page has been taken down.

Sgt. Joe Heffernan says it had officers pictures, Youtube video of police using excessive force and even called for the officers death. The users threatened to post officers home addresses and their personal license plates.

"We want to make sure the officers here in town were aware this Facebook page was up and running that was directed at doing harm to police officers," said Sgt. Heffernan.

13abc obtained a copy of the Toledo police departments social networking web sites policy . In part it reads. "Officers should ensure that they in no way represent themselves as Toledo police officers.  No photographs of police vehicles, logos, uniforms or facilities shall be posted or worn on these web sites."

"It does let people who have axes to grind against law enforcement to know who you are you live where," said the officer.
      
Heffernan says officers dodge bullets all the time, but this war of words is all together different.
That's why he's urging officers to follow the departments policy. It's for their own safety and protection.

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