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N.M. firefighter’s Facebook post under investigation

The firefighter joked on Facebook about police killing suspects; he said he would join the police if they had a “criminal population reduction unit”

The Associated Press

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Albuquerque Fire Department says it has launched an internal investigation after a firefighter joked on social media about Albuquerque police killing suspects.

KRQE-TV reports that Fire Chief David Downey said Monday the department is looking into a Facebook post by firefighter Kenneth Barncastle. According to the posting from a profile which since has been taking down, Barncastle said he’d quit the fire department to join Albuquerque police if they had a “criminal population reduction unit.”

Downey says the department has a social media policy and appropriate action will be taken after the investigation.

The Albuquerque Police Department has faced heavily criticism for 37 police shootings since 2010. Last month, a video showed police shooting a homeless man in the Sandia foothills, sparking an angry protest Sunday and drawing tear gas from riot police.