Rapped for photo taken with Snoop Dogg, state trooper files whistleblower suit against department
While working an off-duty security job last year at an Austin music festival, a Texas state trooper allowed rapper Snoop Dogg to be photographed standing next to him with his forearm resting on the lawman’s shoulder.
The rapper, whose real name is Calvin Broaddus, posted the photo online over the caption: “Me n my deputy dogg.”
That posting led to work counseling and a reprimand for trooper Billy Spears, because Broaddus has a criminal record that includes convictions for drug-possession.
On Wednesday, Spears filed a whistleblower suit against the state department of public safety and other defendants. It alleges the real reason for the reprimand was to retaliate against Spears for asserting his rights and complaining about alleged bullying by an Alcoholic Beverage Control officer, at a time when Spears was attending a public event as a civilian, the Associated Press, the Dallas Morning News and KVUE report.
Spears is seeking unspecified damages in the Travis County action.
The department of public safety declined to discuss the litigation but has said it did nothing wrong by counseling Spears.
“The department holds all of its employees to high standards of conduct and judgment,” a press release explained earlier. “At the same time, DPS takes varying degrees of action to address varying degrees of personnel matters that may arise–including the minimal action of supervisory counseling, mentoring or coaching.”
