Social Post Made by Maine Sheriff's Office Sparks Controversy

A recent Facebook post by the Oxford County Sheriff's Office has sparked debate over the appropriateness of what was written.

The tone has been highly questioned in the comment section. The post addresses the ongoing search of a Maine man saying,

"Looking for this human (Nicholas Plummer) was last seen in the Norway area between Main Street and Beal Street, most likely soaking wet from the waist down… call and stay anonymous.

Hey Nick, if you follow us, turn yourself in bro.. Or at least give us a like!"

Most law enforcement offices are now looking to the public when in search of someone and posting the mug shots or photos of them on their social media feeds.

The post quickly gained attention quickly and the comment section is divided.

Some folks expressed concern, suggesting that the sheriff's office was being insensitive to potential struggles that the man might be facing, such as mental illness or addiction.

One commenter wrote,

I’m disgusted in this post, this community just lost 2 loved ones to addiction issues and seeing the blatant disrespect towards someone who clearly has mental health issues on top of addiction issues is just beyond disappointing. Do better oxford county, do better.

On the other hand, some laughed and applauded the sheriff’s office for the post. One user commented,

This is a legendary BOLO

As the discussion continues, the post currently has 277 shares.

The post shows an even bigger conversation as to how you want your local law enforcement to balance engagement with the public and empathy while performing their duties to us all.

What do you think?