|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
In California, a new law, SB 16, has expanded public access to police misconduct records. The disclosures recently hit close to home with a report about a Mountain View police officer who was disciplined for his discriminatory social media posts.
In 2021, Officer Andrew Wong was found to be in violation of the Mountain View Police Department’s anti-discrimination policies, according to an NBC Bay Area story.
During the pandemic, Wong had developed an interest in cooking and posted recipes to his personal Instagram account. But with the photographs of his home-cooking, Wong included sexually explicit and, at times, culturally insensitive and racially offensive captions, according to NBC, adding that there also were disparaging comments about disabled communities.
When Wong posted his recipes, other police officers complained about the content and asked him to stop. Instead, Wong blocked them or switched accounts, according to the article.
While Wong said he posted the content in an attempt to be funny, the department found that his messages amounted to discriminatory conduct and were unbecoming of an officer, the news agency said.
The Chief at the time, Chris Hsiung, who is now San Mateo County’s undersheriff, suspended Wong for three weeks without pay and ordered him to undergo sensitivity training. Hsiung later modified the suspension to two weeks, on the grounds that Wong showed remorse and accepted responsibility for his actions, NBC said.
While the case is technically closed, it raises questions about the police department’s social media policies and how it monitors and disciplines police misconduct when they are “off the clock.”
Chief Mike Canfield declined an interview with the Voice, but offered an emailed statement about the department’s policies regarding officers’ personal use of social media.
“Department personnel are free to express themselves as private citizens,” he said. “But that disciplinary action can and will take place should they not adhere to the City’s harassment/discrimination policy, which includes prohibiting the use of any discriminatory (or) bias language.”
Unlike its public-facing accounts, the department does not have a practice of monitoring personal social media accounts, unless a complaint is made or there is an investigation. “When we are made aware of a post on a personal profile that potentially violates our policy, investigative actions are taken,” Canfield said.
Police officers also receive social media training when they are hired, and periodically afterwards, as new legislation comes up and case law is interpreted, Canfield said. “Or outside events generate the desire to have our officers receive a refresher as a proactive measure,” he added.
There have been no updates to the social media policy since May 2020, which predates the Wong investigation, said Katie Nelson, police spokesperson.
Startup founder jailed in ‘wild scene’ at winery allowed to exercise $1M in stock optionsJanuary 6, 2026 10:53 am
It sounds like the employee rules need to be updated.
What would be more effective is, if you work for the city, and this includes but is not limited to the MVPD, you should be required to list your social media accounts and there should be a penalty spelled out for failure to do so. This should include social media accounts that are not open to the public as well.