The police over at the South East Metro District are at it again, posting a peculiar comment on their Facebook page saying a man allegedly caught reckless driving is set to spend time in a jail cell with "Big Bad Beautiful Bubba".
Police told WAtoday late on Saturday afternoon it was taking the Facebook post seriously and was planning to investigate the matter.
"I can advise that the post has been removed and that senior management are investigating the content of the post and its author," the police spokesman said.
In March, high-profile Perth lawyer John Hammond said WA police could be brought into disrepute after an "inappropriate" post on the same police Facebook page called a recently charged 24-year-old Perth man a "cerebrally challenged waste of skin".
Later in that post, when the man was caught by police dog Mako, it reads:
"With a noise like a terrified piglet and the face of someone trying to pass a pine cone, he grudgingly surrendered and was led whimpering to a waiting police van."
A police media spokesman at the time said the officer was "over-exuberant" in the language he used.
While the Facebook post on Thursday about the 35-year-old Lesmurdie man - who was charged with a number of driving offences including failing to stop and reckless driving - isn't as offensive, the comment about bunking down in a cell with "Bubba the Beautiful" is far from charming.
"Anyone trying to evade police by driving recklessly or failing to stop when the world turns red and blue in your rear vision mirror needs to get it through the grey matter that no matter how short that rush of stupid to the head lasts, be it 30 seconds or 30 minutes, when you're arrested for trying it on you are going to be sent to jail - the next six months of your life is set in rapid setting concrete and the fault is all down to the person consciously deciding not to stop," the post reads.
"Remember how you hated being sent to your room for an hour or two for stepping outside the rules of your home as a kid? This is a bit like that but with no chance of an apology to mum or dad getting you an early release - six months in jail sharing a cell with Big Bad Beautiful Bubba is not on many bucket lists."
"Just so we are clear - in most instances the drivers or riders are caught - sometimes not immediately but certainly in most cases within a day or two. Six months, Bubba the Beautiful or pull up, take out all the danger to the public and police and cop what's coming like a man (or woman)."
Mr Hammond told WAtoday in March, no Facebook comment by police should be posted prior to the hearing of the charges against an accused.
"Vilifying an accused publicly to this degree is no different to putting the accused in stocks in Forrest Chase and pelting him with tomatoes," he said.
"Calling an accused 'a terrified piglet' and a 'cerebrally challenged waste of skin' is abusive and unnecessary, and brings law enforcement into disrepute."
There is no denying social media is a critical tool for police when getting information to the public about crimes or even capturing criminals, but the people behind the post have ignored a previous warning from police about appropriate posting on Facebook.
A police media spokesman previously told WAtoday the officer who called an accused a "terrified piglet" would be reminded to use a more professional tone in the future.
"All officers with Facebook access are trained in using social media as part of their duties and have access to guidelines," he said.
"The public keenly follow police social media because it's timely, helpful and innovative, but very occasionally we don't quite get it right.
"Every day, hundreds of officers post to Police Twitter or Facebook accounts to large audiences.
"The officer will be reminded of the need to use a more professional tone in future.
"We continue to encourage our officers to use a more friendly, semi-formal style on social media."
