In these days of internet stardom, one cannot simply run the clock out on 15 minutes of fame without being dragged to hell and back for airing bigoted opinions on social media.
Just ask Officer Michael Hamill with the Gainesville Police Department in Florida, who has been busted for posting hateful messages about Jews less than 48 hours from when he and his buddies went viral for being Hurricane Irma’s “hot cops.” Yes, Virginia, your hot cop really is anti-Semitic.
On Thursday, the Gainesville Sun reported that according to Facebook screenshots it received, Hamill has made “jokes” about Jews on Facebook, including recommendations for the government to deal with people “the Hitler way” and allusions to concentration camps.
In one post from 2011, Hamill wrote about the U.S. economy versus people on welfare, positing, “…In reality it’s YOU who needs to stop taking advantage of our system and get a life and do something with your life. Gotta love reality when it hits you in the face. Stupid people annoy me. Put them in an oven and deal with them the Hitler way. Haha.”
In another post from 2013, Hamill wrote about reading “jewish” jokes before bed to make himself sleep easier: “Here is one for everybody, ‘What’s the difference between boy scouts and jews?’ Anybody know? Well it is because, ‘Boy scouts come back from their camps.'”
Hamill and two other officer friends went viral as the “hot cops” after photos of their Hurricane Irma “night crew” were posted to the police department’s Facebook page, and women across the internet subsequently fawned over their lumbersexual-like energy. Hamill, who joined the department in 2016, is one with the clean-cut beard in the center of the photo shown below.
In a statement sent to the Sun, the Gainesville Police Department said they are reviewing a complaint made against Hamill in connection with the anti-Semitic Facebook posts, and is not commenting on the complaint until it completes its investigation.
“The Gainesville Police Department prides itself with our philosophy and mission of compassion, inclusion, and respect and will fully review the matter,” a department spokesperson said.
As of Friday morning, the police department had also taken down the original viral post.
This is truly why we can’t have nice things.