Mount Eaton police officer fired over remarks on social media

DGKN staff report

MOUNT EATON  A village police officer was terminated Friday after making inappropriate comments on social media, according to Mount Eaton Police Chief John Foster.

“The officer was terminated after it was brought to my attention he had made remarks on social media that did not meet the views or values of the Village of Mt. Eaton or the Mt. Eaton Police Department,” Foster wrote in an email to The Dalton Gazette & Kidron News.

A screenshot of an apparent Facebook post by Officer Jeff Lewis on his personal account was shared widely on the social media site Friday.

The post included a black and white screenshot from the video of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin arresting George Floyd. The post that appears to be from Jeff Lewis’ account reads: “Here’s where I lose more ‘friends.’ Oh no … Whitey killed a black man. Nobody has a clue what lead up to this. Everyone has their MEDIA FORCED OPINION. Clearly this black man had the covid and that officer was preventing the spread.”

The video of the officer kneeling on Floyd’s neck before he died has received national attention and has prompted demonstrations across the country. Chauvin has since been charged with third-degree murder in Floyd’s death, national media has reported.

Lewis’ account appears to have been removed from Facebook. One post that shared the apparent screenshot encouraged people to call the police department, the officer’s employers and the governor’s office about the conduct of the officer. One post with the screenshot was shared almost 800 times.