Richmond Police Chief Jim Branum, who is out of town this weekend, was contacted about the photos hours after they were posted. He said he has examined the photos and it appears one of the persons sleeping is an officer, but it’s not clear whether the other person is also an officer.
Branum said he hasn’t talked to the officer who he believes is shown in the photo, but his department will investigate the incident.
“Obviously we don’t condone officers sleeping on duty,” Branum said. “it’s a rules violation for us, not a criminal offense. In all likelihood, there will be some discipline attached to it.”
The post has generated a spirited conversation online among people either defending the officers, expressing disappointment or getting a laugh.
Lawrence commented on her post that she noticed the cruiser was parked and running before daylight and decided to approach after the sun rose. She commented that the cruiser had been running for three hours.
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