October 2, 2014
News Channel Outs Transit Cop's Racist, Homophobic Facebook Page
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 1 MIN.
WCVB TV, Channel 5 reported on September 29 that Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Police Officer Jason Barriteau was the man behind a Facebook page that contained language offensive to LGBT people, Jews, women and non-white people. Barriteau, according to the report, used the name "Al Sharpton" as an alias.
"Shocked" is how MBTA General Manager Beverly Scott described her reaction to Channel 5 upon seeing the page. "As I flipped from one picture to the other it was so offensive on every front. This is what you call just plain old deliberate, you knew what you were doing, it's just totally unacceptable. You know, it was blatant."
The MBTA social media policy prohibits officers from posting racist, sexist, or other objectionable material.
Barriteau is on paid administrative leave.
You can watch the Channel 5 report and view some of the postings to Barriteau's FB page here:
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2014/09/29/racist-boston-cop-facebook-page-exposed/
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
