A Texas state trooper has been ordered to get counseling (pdf) after posing in a photo with Snoop Dogg. Sgt. Billy L. Spears met the rapper while working at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, earlier this month, and posed with him while in uniform. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the photo, which was posted to Snoop Doggโs Instagram account, โreflects poorly on the agency.โ
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The Dallas Morning Newsย reported that after the photo was posted, a commanding official drove 80 miles round-trip to Austin to deliver the counseling order to Spears.
โWhile working a secondary employment job, Trooper Spears took a photo with a public figure who has a well-known criminal background, including numerous drug charges,โย reads the counseling order. โThe public figure posted the photo on social media, and it reflects poorly on the agency.โ
According to Ty Clevenger, Spearsโ attorney, his client didnโt ask to take the photo with Snoop Dogg; it was a request from the rapperโs publicist. Clevenger also said that Spears had no idea of Snoop Doggโs background because โbelieve it or not, some folks donโt watch TMZ or read People magazine.โ
Clevenger alleged on his personal blog that the mandatory counseling is an act of retaliation because Spears has previously spoken about misconduct that was carried out by a fellow law-enforcement officer. The attorney also mentioned that because this counseling is now on his clientโs permanent record, it could block future promotions and/or advancement, even though the agency says itโs not a form of discipline.
Spearsโ attorney also wondered if it would have mattered if the celebrity had been someone else with a criminal record. โSo whatโs the big deal? Would the DPS hierarchy get so bent out of shape about a picture with Willie Nelson?โย Clevenger asked.
Clevenger is seeking to have the counseling order removed from his clientโs permanent record.ย
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