Somewhere along the way during the whole “humanizing the badge” movement, some cops have taken things so far past the point of public service and have made the notion of public relations, all about themselves.
Having the badge, the uniform and the title of Police Officer, should and MUST singularly represent serving the people and their needs, not the needs or wants of the man or woman wearing it. But social media has shown that the bubble of narcissism is an addiction for most of us, especially when you see that your audience responds to you so much more powerfully when you are in uniform.
Men and women all over the world are discovering that with social media, anyone can have a voice, but not everyone will be heard. In the profession of law enforcement, an increasing number of men and women have discovered that if they speak to their social media audience about an issue that matters to them, their audience is far more likely to engage and more importantly agree with them if they are in a position of authority while speaking. Enter the trend of people who have become police officers for the sole purpose of wearing a uniform with a badge on it all so when they talk about something that they feel is important, others will nod in agreement while they stop scrolling and listen to the man or woman who holds the title of “police officer”.
This week’s segment of Badge Abuse: Cops EXPOSED features Metro Vancouver Transit Police Officer Julien Ponsioen who takes to his social media to advocate for LGBTQ issues while wearing a rainbowed colored patch that reads “POLICE” on his chest.
My position is and always will be that any cop who makes a singular issue the forefront of who they are as a police officer, cannot be trusted to serve anyone. If Ponsioen is openly gay, and I mean so past the point of open that he has to wear a LGBTQ police flag on his chest, how can anyone who is straight ever expect to be served or treated fairly by him while he is in a position of authority? What if a straight Christian female is involved with a call for service against another Canadian citizen, who just so happens to be a male that Ponsioen finds sexually attractive or a member of the LGBTQ community that he aligns with on an emotional and social level? Can the public trust Ponsioen to put aside his personal agenda and feelings and serve them both responsibly and fairly?
Normally, this can be called into question over anyone who is straight, gay, bisexual, etc because everyone has their personal bias, however, police officers like Ponsioen publicly makes his entire police service about being an openly gay man, and his needs and wants are reinforced by his own commenters and fans, creating a cognitive dissonance echo chamber fueled by a dopamine hit every time he uploads a new video.
Police Departments must create a “no social media” policy for all cops while they are on duty, or in uniform in any capacity. Allowing cops to continue using the title, badge and uniform to talk about personal issues creates the most dangerous kind of division out there and is an absolute concern with police who show up on scene to act morally and responsibly even if their issues do not align with those they serve.
In my professional experience, Officer Ponsioen needs to be removed from social media while in uniform and closely monitored by his department for social media dopamine withdrawl symptoms and evaluated if his ability to serve the people is based on integrity or his need for his views to be agreed with by his fans.
Every Sunday I host a private real-time Roll Call — no recording, no replay, no YouTube, no outsiders. It’s the ONLY place where you can talk to me directly, pitch ideas, influence upcoming episodes, and be part of the inside team. Make sure you click the Patreon or Buy Me a Coffee link below and become a member today:
☕ Buy Me a Coffee! https://buymeacoffee.com/coptalklive
🚔 Become a Cop Talk LIVE Member! https://www.patreon.com/c/coptalklive/membership
🔊 Send your messages here! coptalklive911@gmail.com or text/call me 708-982-0974
About The Author
Discover more from Cop Talk LIVE
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
