Imagine this: You’ve just finished a routine day photographing houses for the city assessor’s office. Suddenly, your phone pings with a Facebook message from a stranger. “Is there any reason you would be walking around taking pictures of homes?” they ask. You freeze. How did they find you? After some digging, you discover the Facebook message is from an off-duty police officer.

This scenario was shared by Reddit user SlumpedByGod. They explained they were photographing homes for property records—a task homeowners had been notified about weeks in advance. Despite following protocol, an officer used police resources to identify them and contacted them through Facebook.

An off duty police officer found my information using my license plate. Then proceeded to hunt me down on facebook. This is illegal right?
byu/slumpedbygod inlegaladvice

Was it legal to run the plates?

Attorney Andrew Flusche, an expert on citizens’ rights, broke down the issue. Whether the officer’s actions were legal depends on the context. If the plate was run as part of an official investigation, it might be allowed. Flusche explained, “If someone called the police station or sheriff’s office saying, ‘Hey, we’ve got a suspicious person out here taking pictures of houses,’ and they ran the tag to investigate, that’s usually legitimate.”

But if the officer acted on a personal grudge, this would cross the line. Flusche made it clear: “Yes, it is illegal for a police officer to be using their special databases and tools for some kind of personal reason.” Departments tightly regulate these tools to prevent misuse.

The distinction is crucial. If someone had called in a report, the officer might claim the database search was justified. But if the officer acted independently to settle their own concerns, it would be a serious violation of both law and professional ethics.

Is police Facebook outreach acceptable?

The officer’s use of Facebook to contact the Redditor also raised eyebrows. While it’s not inherently illegal, it’s a gray area. “Police officers use Facebook too,” Flusche noted. “If they have a suspect or some issue going on, they could certainly reach out through Facebook to ask questions.”

However, many departments discourage this practice. Official communications are typically required to go through department channels, such as email or phone, to ensure accountability. A former dispatcher on Reddit explained, “Using personal platforms like Facebook might violate department policy, even if it’s not illegal.”

This dual standard creates confusion. On the one hand, contacting someone on Facebook could be part of a legitimate investigation. On the other, it could breach guidelines designed to maintain transparency.

What should you do if you receive a similar Facebook message from police?

The first step is to document everything. Screenshot the messages, including the sender’s profile and timestamps. File a formal complaint with the officer’s department, and consider reaching out to internal affairs. If the officer misused police resources, the department can audit their database use to confirm.

Many commenters on Reddit also suggested filing a complaint with your employer’s HR department if you were working when the incident occurred. This ensures your workplace is aware of the situation and can offer support.

For SlumpedByGod, the encounter felt invasive and unprofessional. Whether the officer acted legally or not, it’s clear the situation could have been handled better. This story underscores the blurry line between professional duties and personal actions in law enforcement. While police Facebook outreach might sometimes be legitimate, it risks crossing into unprofessional territory when handled poorly.