A misdemeanor has been brought against a St. Louis Metropolitan police officer for reportedly sharing content of a tragic traffic mishap on Snapchat. Officer Griffin Montgomery, aged 30, is the subject of the charges, detailing his use of a personal cell phone to record footage from a criminal justice information-sharing system called the "Real Time Crime Center." According to a report by Fox2Now, the incident occurred on February 14, 2024, and involved the recording of a crash that resulted in the fatalities of two pedestrians.
Montgomery, who had no official business in the case, faces a misconduct charge after allegedly disseminating the video on Snapchat to individuals not associated with the SLMPD. It was not immediately clear why Officer Montgomery had access to the footage, nor what motive led to its sharing. St. Louis Today detailed in their report how the video captured an SUV running a red light, causing a collision that took the lives of Laticia Bracero, 42, and her daughter Alyssa Cordova, 21 who were visiting from Chicago. The video's public circulation caused a stir, with voices rising against rampant reckless driving in the city. St. Louis Today reported that subsequent widespread sharing instigated significant outcries.
Charged with a single count of Misuse of Official Information by a Public Servant, a Class A Misdemeanor, Montgomery's actions have raised questions regarding privacy and the integrity of law enforcement. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) emphasized their commitment to upholding high standards for all officers. "We are unable to comment on specific personnel matters, but SLMPD holds all officers to the highest of standards. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken if an officer is found to have violated policy," explained Mitch McCoy, Director of Public Affairs and Information with the SLMPD, in a probable cause statement cited by First Alert 4.
