Police officer forced into counselling after taking photo with Snoop Dogg

A public safety officer has reportedly been ordered to undergo counselling after taking a photo with rapper Snoop Dogg at the 2015 SXSW in Austin, Texas.

Trooper Billy Spears from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) was working security for the annual event when the rapper stopped him and asked if they could take a photo together.

Calvin Broadus, aka Snoop Dogg, then uploaded the photo to Instagram on March 21 with the caption, “Me n deputy dogg”.

The post did not amuse the DPS, according to the Dallas Morning News, which claimed a lieutenant was sent to reprimand Spears for “posing with a known criminal”.

Spears’ attorney, Ty Clevenger, is fighting the citation and believes it is retaliation after the trooper reported an Alcoholic Beverage Commission officer for unprofessional conduct last year.

Clevenger also believes that Spears’ commanding officers found the photo using facial recognition software and insists he had no way of knowing Snoop Dogg’s criminal history, according to his blog post .

In counselling Spears was reportedly told to say “no” when people ask to have their pictures taken with him in the future.

Spears was not the only officer to get their photo taken that day with the rapper. Snoop also uploaded another photo to Instagram, posing with an Austin Police Officer with the caption, “Protect n serve”.