A couple more facts that have come to light in the ongoing investigation by the Renton WA police department to uncover the identity of “Mrfuddlesticks” who has been posting cartoon videos online mocking the police department.
A few things that we do know: A judge has stayed the earlier search warrants being used to get information from YouTube about the identity after a seattle attorney filed a motion to quash the search warrant requests after a KIRO-TV reported that the police department “shopped around” trying to find a prosecutor that would take the case.
Here’s some new information: The judge will have a full court hearing on the matter on August 19. Until then (and probably after) the police department will conduct an internal investigation because it believes the individual who posted the videos is a current police officer according to KIRO-TV.
This is absurd. So what if an officer is doing it?
If he’s doing it in his off time, then he’s got a 1st Amendment cover. This is just a bunch of elitist bureaucrats trying to crush anyone pointing out their faults. I predict if they find the guy and fire him (which they will undoubtedly try to do), he’ll sue and get his job back.
I’ve been in law enforcement for 20 years and I can tell you 50% of officers would do this if they had thought about it – cops bitch and carp about our own depts. like no one’s business, so this stuff isn’t really new.
The best thing this agency could have done was ignore it, they’d have looked far more professional and less Gestapo-ish for going after a cartoon…