Policeman loses job after performing live with Vital Remains

http://loudwire.com/florida-police-officer-fired-singing-vital-remains-onstage/

That is just messed up. Of all the things a police officer can get fired over, he gets fired for performing onstage with a death metal band? This is just wrong.

With everything the cops do these days being criticized, firing seems a little harsh. A suspension probably could have got the message through just as effective.

However, going up on stage in full uniform and singing a song called 'Dechristianize' and yelling "Let the killing begin" probably wasn't the best idea. Do that stuff on your own time, not while on-duty, ya dummy. That's just common sense, which unfortunately isn't used much anymore apparently.

EDIT: The Loudwire link left out this little nugget of info...

Quote :

Back in 2012, the Sanford Police Department's handling of the much-publicized Trayvon Martin case showed a series of missteps and was criticized by Martin's family as bungling and biased, according to The New York Times.

This cop was a member of the Sanford Police Dept. so the firing seems slightly more justified. That police department doesn't need anymore bad publicity. Harsh maybe, but I can see their point.

Wearing your uniform you are representing your employer and if they don't agree with the activity you are dragging them into they will fire your ass. As MG said, it "should" be common sense, but that's a laugh in this world we're living in now. I think the term needs to be changed to "uncommon sense" because it's so f*cking rare.

Hmmm, more details start to creep out and more questions arise...

Quote :

Ricks worked for Apopka Police Department for six months before resigning in 2009 and getting hired by the Sanford Police Department in January 2010.

Quote :

The Sanford Police Department says Ricks submitted a letter of resignation on October 30, with a pending separation date of November 20.

Why was he resigning again so soon? I guess if he knew he was on the way out anyway, why not sing a little death metal? Weird.

it was so stupid from him. too bad he lost his job.

It was a bad decision for him to sing a violent/satanic song on stage while on duty. Somehow, I don't think the dude would've been fired if he sang something a bit less controversial like "Living After Midnight".

I don't think the lyrical content had anything to do with it. He shouldn't have climbed onstage wearing his uniform to perform with a band. I think the outcome would have been the same regardless of what the group was singing about.

he should have sticked to his donuts.

S.D. wrote:

I don't think the lyrical content had anything to do with it.  He shouldn't have climbed onstage wearing his uniform to perform with a band.  I think the outcome would have been the same regardless of what the group was singing about.  

I think it did (to an extent). I mean, a lot of people might feel uneasy around a cop that is into lyrics of a hateful ideology. It's not always the case, but sometimes it could be a red flag.

Some think it's no big deal to sing a song about killing Christ or Christians, but if this guy was singing lyrics about lynching blacks or gassing Jews, I'm sure the support for this cop would be next to zero (and rightfully so) but the tolerance is obviously subjective.

Troublezone wrote:

Some think it's no big deal to sing a song about killing Christ or Christians but if this guy was singing lyrics about lynching blacks or gassing Jews, I'm sure the support for this cop would be next to zero (and rightfully so) but the tolerance is obviously subjective.

so to some, it is ok to kill christians, but not blacks or jews? weird.. christians are no longer seen as humans...

S.D. wrote:

Wearing your uniform you are representing your employer and if they don't agree with the activity you are dragging them into they will fire your ass.  As MG said, it "should" be common sense, but that's a laugh in this world we're living in now.  I think the term needs to be changed to "uncommon sense" because it's so f*cking rare.  

I agree that it was not in good taste, but firing seems to be a bit excessive.Scary Orwellian world we live in. This wouldn't have never made the news 20 years ago. Everyone is a little snitch now.

This reminds me of another cop who got on stage with a Death metal band

Troublezone wrote:

It was a bad decision for him to sing a violent/satanic song on stage while on duty. Somehow, I don't think the dude would've been fired if he sang something a bit less controversial like "Living After Midnight".

Yea I think the band/song had some impact on the firing. Given the current situation with the police in general, that police department in particular, the officer's resignation and then the incident itself, it was the perfect storm for his firing. If he was only suspended, it just would've added fuel to the fire.

Perhaps if he had jumped up on stage with a Poison tribute band, singing 'Nothing But a Good Time', the video could have been spun into a more positive light. "See, cops aren't all bad. They like to have fun too!"

This was just a bad situation all around. Not saying that it's right or wrong, but I can see why it ended up the way it did.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Troublezone wrote:

It was a bad decision for him to sing a violent/satanic song on stage while on duty. Somehow, I don't think the dude would've been fired if he sang something a bit less controversial like "Living After Midnight".

Yea I think the band/song had some impact on the firing. Given the current situation with the police in general, that police department in particular, the officer's resignation and then the incident itself, it was the perfect storm for his firing. If he was only suspended, it just would've added fuel to the fire.

Perhaps if he had jumped up on stage with a Poison tribute band, singing 'Nothing But a Good Time', the video could have been spun into a more positive light. "See, cops aren't all bad. They like to have fun too!"

This was just a bad situation all around. Not saying that it's right or wrong, but I can see why it ended up the way it did.

It's all about public relations and this guy was unprofessional. On a side note... The guy that killed Dimebag was once a guy in uniform too (military). I think that sometimes we need to take into account the behavior of people no matter what profession they are in. Cops are already on thin ice regarding public relations.

This was obviously because of him wearing his uniform and the lyrics of the song. It doesn't exactly take a rocket scientist to see that.

What a pile of bullshit.

I hate pigs. But this one did absolutely nothing wrong. Especially to get axed. He was on stage for three seconds. SO WHAT? You guys are super high to think this was a fire-able offence.

Would you want to see your kid's principal singing along to Deicide? Oh wait... Nevermind!

Yeah... Nothing like a "pig" singing about slaughtering Christians while working on the tax payers dime.

wasn't iced earth's former frontman a cop or something like that?

Gilbert wrote:

wasn't iced earth's former frontman a cop or something like that?

Yeah, Matt Barlow. I think he actually left Iced Earth to pursue that career. And i'm sure he did his music endeavors on the side with his spare time (not on duty with his cop clothes).

Gilbert wrote:

wasn't iced earth's former frontman a cop or something like that?

Yes. I brought him up when I was talking about the cop at the Vital Remains show to the clerk at a store I almost always visit over the weekend.

John Madden wrote:

S.D. wrote:

Wearing your uniform you are representing your employer and if they don't agree with the activity you are dragging them into they will fire your ass.  As MG said, it "should" be common sense, but that's a laugh in this world we're living in now.  I think the term needs to be changed to "uncommon sense" because it's so f*cking rare.  

I agree that it was not in good taste, but firing seems to be a bit excessive.Scary Orwellian world we live in. This wouldn't have never made the news 20 years ago. Everyone is a little snitch now.

Don't cops usually rely on little snitches? My two cents is that when you have a responsible job and you are a public servant in a position of trust, you should behave accordingly, particularly when in uniform. Not very metal but true all the same.

If he hadn't been wearing his uniform no one would have cared. But with all the police troubles that have been happening it's not hard to see why he got axed.