Illinois Officer Fired Over Ferguson Facebook Comments

The Elgin (Ill.) Police Department has fired an officer for making disparaging remarks on Facebook, including a comment about the Ferguson, Mo., teen shot dead by police, officials said.

Officer Jason Lentz lost his job because of conduct that undermined the city's credibility and violations of the police department's social media guidelines, according to department officials, reports the Chicago Tribune .

The department put him on leave Aug. 21 after he allegedly made a provocative comment in response to a news story about slain Ferguson teen Michael Brown purportedly stealing cigars.

"Hmmm … innocent victim my ass," the comment said. "Did society a favor."  

Lentz’s attorney, Tim O’Neil, has said that Lentz’s alleged comments were protected speech because the officer made them on a private account on which he did not identify himself as an Elgin employee, and because he was speaking about a matter of public concern.