Shelby Twp. Police said on Thursday that claims allegedly linking the department's chief to social media posts glorifying police brutality are being investigated.
If the claims are true, this would make Shelby Twp. Police Chief Robert J. Shelide the secret identity of Metro Times's right-wing troll @sheepdawg711, or "Bobby S."
"We have been made aware of some recent posts being attributed to our Chief," the department tweeted Thursday afternoon. "The Township is looking into it now. Please have patience with us while we find out what is happening."
We have been made aware of some recent posts being attributed to our Chief. The Township is looking into it now. Please have patience with us while we find out what is happening. Thank you.
— Shelby Twp PD (@ShelbyTwp911) June 4, 2020
As of Thursday afternoon the Twitter account for @sheepdawg711 had been deactivated. But Google's cached page for @sheepdawg711 shows the account's username as Robert J Shelide, and the pinned tweet on the Google archive references Shelide being chosen as the "Administrator of the Year" by the Police Officers Association of Michigan in 2019.
On Thursday, a Facebook post circulated that showed screenshots from @sheepdawg711's account referencing the recent wave of Black Lives Matter protests sweeping the nation.
"Trump threatening to deploy the military. I have a better idea: unleash real cops and let them take care of these barbarians," @sheepdawg711 wrote. "I promise it will be over in 24 hours. Cops are crippled by politicians and the media."
In another post, @sheepdawg711 retweeted a video showing NYPD roughing up someone.
"Nice," a user named "Dixon, Cox, and Kuntz, LLC" posted. (Say it out loud... yeah.) "Would have been a little micer [sic] to see some 'errant' baton swings on those cell phones."
"Lol. 100%," @sheepdawg711 replied.
In another tweet showing footage of Black suspects who allegedly attacked a business store owner, @sheepdawg711 wrote, "Wild savages. I wish to God I would have been there. Body bags for these vicious subhumans."
If Shelide is indeed confirmed to be linked to the tweets, we think an investigation of any of the department's use-of-force incidences is in order.
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