A Massachusetts police chief is unloading on critics of his department’s social media posts about crime in his small South Coast town, which he says are not meant to “win popularity contests.”
Rochester Police Chief Michael A. Assad Jr. is backing his department’s Facebook posts, highlighting the importance of community policing after some critics labeled the PD’s social media presence as “weird.”
“To all the haters out there…yes, if you get arrested in Rochester, there is a good chance your booking photo and the reason for your arrest will be posted,” Assad wrote in a Facebook post Tuesday. “We may even add a little humor to it.”
“If you don’t like it, here’s a simple solution,” the chief added, “don’t commit crimes in Rochester, don’t hide out in Rochester, and don’t drive through Rochester with warrants, drugs, suspended licenses, or a trunk full of bad decisions.”
Assad took to Facebook after the department posted about two separate arrests earlier in the day, one involving a woman, Monique Lizotte, who had reportedly defaulted on an appearance at Plymouth District Court for shoplifting charges, and the other a man, Brian Pina, of New Bedford, who allegedly violated a restraining order.
The department described Lizotte’s arrest as “Tuesdays Proactive Pinch of the Day.”
“Monique Lizotte was located and arrested by Detectives today at a residence in Rochester,” the department stated. “Ms. Lizotte was booked and transported, via Bluber, to Wareham District Court, to answer for not showing up to court.”
One person commented, “Sometimes people go thru a hard time. Is it necessary to publicly humiliate them also ? It’s not like these are big deal arrests.”
Another responded, “Is the officer writing and posting these cringe posts on the clock and getting paid for this? Is that the best use of police resources? Looking like the goon squad? Honestly it’s weird.”
The department highlighted Pina’s arrest in a Facebook post just after 6 a.m.
“Mr. Pina apparently missed the memo that violating a Restraining Order is, in fact, illegal in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” the department stated. “So after allegedly deciding to ignore a court order, Team RPD stepped in and provided him with a free Bluber ride and a complimentary stay at hotel RPD.”
“Remember folks,” it added, “a Restraining Order is not a ‘strong suggestion.’ It is a COURT ORDER, which states you shall be arrested!”
One critic complained, “I don’t think everybody finds your sarcasm humorous. You want to tell the tale, be professional, and just tell the tale. But you might want to also remember that there are two sides to every story. I personally find these shaming posts to be inappropriate.”
In his statement on the department’s Facebook page, Assad said that his officers believe in the “Broken Windows Theory of policing,” meaning that “if small problems are ignored, bigger problems follow.”
“Community policing is not just showing up after something bad happens,” Assad said. “It is being proactive, visible, engaged, and willing to address problems early. That is exactly what Team RPD does every single day.”
“We are not here to win popularity contests with criminals or internet keyboard warriors,” he added. “We are here to protect the people of Rochester.”
