Baltimore Police Investigating Instagram Photo Appearing To Show Officer Asleep In Patrol Car
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Baltimore police are investigating a report of an officer sleeping in his patrol car that has been shared around social media.
The picture shows the officer in a Baltimore police patrol car, who appears to be sleeping.
The picture appears to have been taken in the 2000 block of East Eager Street.
"We are looking into the circumstances behind the picture. What we have seen raises serious concerns about public safety, officer health and wellness, and officer performance," Baltimore Police said in a statement Tuesday.
Commissioner Michael Harrison expressed his concern to a similar incident in March after a video posted on Instagram appeared to show a uniformed officer sleeping in the front seat of a marked police vehicle with headlights and flashing police lights on.
Commissioner Harrison on video of an officer apparently sleeping in a patrol car @wjz pic.twitter.com/f0HIjlciyQ
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) March 25, 2019
Harrison said the video "raises serious concerns about public safety, officer health and wellness, and officer performance."
Police Commissioner 'Troubled' By Video Of Sleeping Officer In Patrol Car
Police union president Sgt. Michael Mancuso said in March about 20 percent of officers are working on overtime shifts at any given time.
He said people "make more mistakes" when they are fatigued.
Last October, Officer Aaron Heilman was fired after he was found passed out drunk behind the wheel of his cruiser. He has since pleaded guilty to drunk driving and misconducted charges.