Remember the cop from MO who shot a dog on tape? He trolled the paper's forums and released sealed records of the people who posted in the comments

Comment leads to punishment: Officer posted on online news story.
By Brennan David
Columbia Tribune
Jul. 03, 2010

A Columbia police officer yesterday received the most serious discipline allowed within the department after the conclusion of a month-and-a-half-long internal investigation into improper Internet comments.

Officer Robert Fox was penalized for posting information related to the juvenile record of a protester who was photographed and quoted in a May 16 Tribune news story. The penalty for violating his duty to safeguard information was 120 hours without pay, the complainant, Columbia resident Greg Williams, told the Tribune after he met with Fox and police administrators yesterday.

Williams, 24, was photographed holding a sign that said “Stop Brutality” on May 15 while protesting in front of the Walnut Street post office against a Feb. 11 SWAT raid. Fox commented about Williams below the story on the Tribune’s website. Fox’s comment later was removed because it violated the Tribune’s commenting policy.

“He was investigated for releasing information that should not have been,” Columbia police spokeswoman Officer Jessie Haden said. “The investigation sustained the complaint, and he received the most serious discipline allowable without him losing his job. The investigation into that has concluded. The complainant met with the officer and the chief, and we were able to extend our apology as well as discuss the matter.”

Although Haden did not identify the officer by name or specify the penalty, Williams confirmed both.

Fox is a member of the six-man SWAT unit that entered the southwest Columbia home of Jonathan Whitworth in February.

Williams, with his pit bull, was protesting the death of a pit bull and injuries to another dog as a result of the raid.

Fox responded to a previous posting that said, “Seeing the people of Columbia stand up to this totally unacceptable police brutality refreshes my pride in America.”

“Hahahahahah!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Fox responded. “The guy with the ‘stop the brutality’ sign has multiple convictions for assaulting people with guns!!! I’d like him to stop the brutality of humans!

“Your case has never had any solid basis other than you didn’t like seeing what’s required to police Columbia and you want weed to be legal. The majority of the people in Columbia don’t care enough to comment, go to a meeting or protest at the post office. You’re all irrelevant. We need to move on.”

A commenter later wrote back to Fox, “Greg Williams in the picture, can file a defamation of character and slander against you … so maybe a retraction should be in order.”

Fox responded by posting, “It ain’t slander if it’s true. It is.”

Full Story Here