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Media cut up over officer's Edward Scissorhands tweet
A local policing twitter account had used a Johnny Depp related tweet with an appeal for help cleaning up an elderly resident's back garden
The Met Police has denied rumours a popular local police twitter account was gagged over a Johnny Depp gif.
The Twitter account for Edmonton police in Enfield @MPSUpprEdmonton has attracted thousands of followers for its humorous safety warnings and crime updates.
One of its last tweets, from February 18, described how the officer who manages the account had a cold start to his Saturday shift because two people out on a kayak had tried to warm up by starting a fire in it and sank.
“Proving once and for all that you can’t have your Kayak and heat it #chuckle” he wrote.”
But on Friday he posted a message saying that due to “unforeseen circumstances I shall no longer be involved with the Twitter account.
“I hope for some at least I was informative with a dash of humour.”
— Uppr Edmonton Police (@MPSUpprEdmonton) 23 February 2018
The tweet provoked an outcry with dozens of users expressing their disappointment.
The penultimate tweet had been a request for bin liner recommendations, with an Edward Scissorhands gif, as he was going to help an 80-year-old woman tidy up her garden.
For those that remember the tweet I posted on 7th Feb about the lady whose garden is used for prostitution etc. I'm going to go round there next Sunday with garden tools/cutters etc to clean & tidy it. Does anyone know the best heavy duty bin liners for waste & where to get them? pic.twitter.com/orIzpliQjm
— Uppr Edmonton Police (@MPSUpprEdmonton) 18 February 2018
An earlier tweet had discussed plans to help the woman because her garden was being used by prostitutes, along with pictures of backyard littered with condoms and rubbish.
For anyone that questions why we carry out prostitution patrols a reason can hopefully be seen below.
— Uppr Edmonton Police (@MPSUpprEdmonton) 7 February 2018
This garden is of a lady of almost 80 yrs who cleans up used condoms & rubbish every morning.
We'll be chasing up getting fencing sorted & a secure gate #communitypolicing #asb pic.twitter.com/FLr8JIz8fr
User Mike Kenworthy claimed on twitter the officer would no longer be tweeting due to “internal politics”.
“The officers last tweet came to the attention of the media and made some tenuous connection with something dodgy going on in the world.
“His last tweet or there about included Johnny Depp in Edward scissorHands. Jhonny has been up to no good with the ladies. @LBC got in touch with Police media, who phoned Edmonton on his day off instead of going through normal channels.
“This annoyed Edmonton no end, as there is nothing in the tweet.”
A spokeswoman for MPS confirmed the press office had “received a media enquiry about a tweet sent out from a local twitter account.
“The enquiry was dealt with in the same way that all media enquiries are and the officer was contacted for further details.
But she added: “The officer has not been reprimanded and continues to receive the full support of the Met to continue tweeting.”
Several commenters on MPSUpprEdmonton’s post alluded to the internal intervention with PC Chris Smith writing: “Sounds a bit like a management own goal. When will forces understand and trust cops to manage SM feeds.”
PC Ben Forbes asked to officer to get in contact as he’s “discussing how to improve with new Director of DMC” and Toni Holmes commenting that the “pen pushers are at it again.”
