Reporter's Notebook: Gaylord cop suspended



By Dan Linehandlinehan@mankatofreepress.com


 Facebook post earns censure
In April, The Free Press published a story about Gaylord police officer Eric Boon, who was accused by the American Civil Liberties Union of disproportionately targeting Hispanic residents.
On April 24, Boon was placed on unpaid suspension for two weeks, but not for his police work. Instead, the Gaylord City Council found that Boon “displayed poor judgment and engaged in behavior unbecoming an officer” in a Facebook message he posted to The Free Press story.
In his post, he criticized the article and ACLU attorney Ian Bratlie, who he called “a brat that lies.”
The council also put him on probation for six months. Boon didn’t return a call that was left with the police chief seeking comment.
Boon had also been suspended for two days earlier in April, but it wasn’t clear if it was connected to the ACLU report. According to a letter from the police chief, the two-day suspension was for “misappropriate handling and investigating of a juvenile issue involving health and welfare” and for making “rude and inappropriate comments” to a county employee regarding work related issues.
The Free Press learned about the discipline in a September information request to the city.
Dan Linehan is a Free Press staff writer. Contact him at 344-6355, or dlinehan@mankatofreepress.com