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Springfield Police Detective Fired After Sharing An Image Of Her Niece At A Black Lives Matter Rally

The Springfield Police Department has fired a detective who posted on social media a picture of her niece at a Black Lives Matter event holding a sign that suggested shooting police officers, according to a published report.

Det. Florissa Fuentes told MassLive that the post was made on a personal account while she was off duty.

She said she was showing pride in her niece's activism at a late May protest in Atlanta and she does not advocate violence against police.

"After I posted it, I started getting calls and texts from coworkers," Fuentes said. "I was initially confused, but then I realized they thought I was being anti-cop. I wasn't. I was just supporting my niece's activism. I had no malicious intent, and I wouldn't put a target on my own back."

She later removed the post, and the head of the detective bureau wrote her up, citing a "possible" social media violation.

She was fired on June 19 by Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood.

"That post was hurtful to many of her coworkers," Clapprood said, noting that as a rookie Fuentes was still on probation and the post was the second issue she had.

Fuentes, 30, was sworn in last July.

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