Texas Department of Public Safety has reprimanded one of its troopers, Billy Spears, for taking a selfie with Snoop Dogg at the South by Southwest music festival in Austin in March – Spears has been ordered to undergo counseling as a punishment for standing next to the rapper with a ‘well-known criminal background’.
Spears was providing security during the event, when Dogg approached the officer and requested that the officer be photographed together. Dogg later posted the picture on his Instagram account with the caption ‘Me n my deputy dogg’.
“While working a secondary employment job, Trooper Spears took a photo with a public figure who has a well-known criminal background including numerous drug charges. Be mindful of social media outlets and how such photos can negatively affect the agency,” read a counseling record memo. Because the action taken against Spears called for counseling and was not a formal disciplinary action, the trooper has no means of appeal.
Spears’ Attorney Ty Clevenger, in a letter to the director of the Texas DPS, insisted that the “surrounding circumstances of this disciplinary action make it all the more obvious that it was an act of retaliation”.
“Trooper Spears was not aware of Snoop Dogg’s criminal history, nor was he aware that DPS personnel are expected to run criminal background checks of everyone who requests a picture,” he wrote.
Clevenger also believes the action against Spears is retaliatory because the trooper reported an Alcoholic Beverage Commission officer last year for unprofessional conduct. The complaint prompted an investigation against Spears, who was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing.
“DPS claims that the counseling forms are not really discipline, therefore the employee has no right to appeal. Yet those counseling incidents can block a trooper’s chances for promotion or advancement. So it appears that DPS commanders are papering Billy’s file with counseling incidents because they can’t prove that he violated any law, order or policy, and they know that he will beat them with the law and the facts if he is given an opportunity to appeal,” he adds.
DPS spokesman Tom Vinger released a statement regarding the action taken against the trooper: “DPS does not typically discuss or release specifics of personnel issues unless they result in disciplinary action as outlined in Government Code 411.00755 and 411.0072. Supervisors counsel and coach employees on a regular basis and these efforts do not constitute formal discipline by the department”.
TX DPS trooper reprimanded for letting Snoop take his photo, demonstrates benefits of basic pop culture education http://t.co/mKCNO5E1AN
— Sean Beherec (@sbeherec) April 1, 2015
Spears is a better moral character than a rapper, usually any day of the week. But that doesn’t mean there is no redemption on a rapper’s life. The rapper by posing with the officer shows that they can co-exist and can build rapport and trust which is good for society. This picture is great for both Police and people who are and feel disenfranchised in society. A disciplinary attack on officer Spears goes against the spirit of betterment and improvement of people, the spirit of America.
How old are you gonzo? Do you think every preacher is a child molester too?
This is not a selfie..
Really ??? Then yuu should discipline all cops standing near politicians, bankers, and CEOS’… Because these are the real gangsters !!!
Yo Patrick ma man;
‘Yuu’ need to go back to school and learn how to s-p-e-l-l.
Dear Harry,
Correct, this ain’t no selfie. What they should be asking is, who’s the photographer?, and why would Snoop Dogg of all people wanna pose with some random officer?
You’re really going to call this dude out for his spelling and then in your next sentence use “ain’t”? like for real? You’re fucking retarded.
Really, correcting a spelling mistake when you obviously need schooling yourself.
1. If there is a question mark, there is no need to use a comma as well.
2. Ain’t isn’t a word
3. You would never use more than one comma in a sentence, any more than that and you should break that sentence into two.
Carry on.
Too busy correcting peoples grammar instead of actually reading the comment, I couldn’t agree more with Patrick and i couldn’t disagree more with this shallow person, ” FineAssBooty “. Use your brain, stop pretending to be smart.
I agree Patrick, it seems to me that it’s a image problem more than them actually enforcing the law. I worked for DPS as a state inspector and there is corruption with in their own system as well. I hope this is not an attemp to clean up their own image for those in their own ranks caught in corruption.This is ridiculous to me to begin with.
:Fine***Booty”, it is very simple to make spelling errors, and if you desire to point out the errors of others, I shall do the same for you.
“ma man” -> “My Man”
Use a coma after man, not a semicolon.
“photographer?, and” -> “photographer? And…”
“wanna” -> want to
“some random officer” A better word choice would have been “a random officer”
You’re welcome “Fine***Booty”, I hope you enjoy this product of my boredom.
Damnit,can they just forget his past and accept what he is now?
To pretend you’re smart you attack someones spelling,that you know was obviously a mistake. I instantly look at you and i think, why would someone waste their time saying something like that instead of posting about something real, Why do you have to be the hater. I bet you’re SHALLOW, lonely, and ugly inside and out. I Can’t agree more with Patrick and disagree more with you.
Snoop should hire him for his personal security team lol
Blacks don’t get the same courtesy as whites. America is racist and will continue to be until The Prison Industrial Complex comes a knocking at The Middle-class’s door in order to keep prison doors open for business. So of course idiots are going to continue making racist decisions as punishing an officer for taking picture with A CELEBRITY. Repeat after me… AMERICA IS A RACIST COUNTRY!
Shameful. The president has pictures with Jay-Z(has a record) but, the cop can’t have pictures with Snoop?! #OYEW!
Whatever action the man is receiving if it can affect your raise for your climb up the ladder it is a disciplinary action whether you want to admit it or not