Rochester Police Chief’s Blunt Facebook Warning Sparks Debate

The Rochester Police Department is turning heads with a cheeky new Facebook post, coming straight from the chief himself.

On Tuesday, May 26, 2026, Chief of Police Michael A. Assad Jr. took to the department's Facebook page to issue a warning.

Why Rochester Police Posted the Message

Controversy has arisen in recent months with some of the Rochester Police Facebook posts, which report on arrests made in a humorous fashion. While police say the humor helps get people to pay attention, critics accuse the police of "bullying" and "defaming" suspects who have not yet been convicted of any crime.

"To all the haters out there…yes, if you get arrested in Rochester, there is a good chance your booking photo and the reason for your arrest will be posted," the department's response post read.

"If you don’t like it, here’s a simple solution…don’t commit crimes in Rochester, don’t hide out in Rochester, and don’t drive through Rochester with warrants, drugs, suspended licenses, or a trunk full of bad decisions," Assad wrote.

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It echoes the age-old saying, “If you can't do the time, don't do the crime.”

The post quickly gained traction, drawing hundreds of comments from the community.

Community Reactions Pour In Online

From current and former police officers standing in support of the message, to others voicing their disdain for the use of humor, the comments are abundant. One Facebook user even quoted Taylor Swift's lyric: "You play stupid games, you win stupid prizes."

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What Is the 'Broken Windows' Policing Theory?

"The Rochester Police Department believes in the 'Broken Windows Theory' of policing," the post reads. "This theory is based on the idea that if small problems are ignored, bigger problems follow. A broken window left unrepaired sends the message that nobody cares, which can lead to more disorder, more crime, and a decline in community safety."

Chief Assad Defends the Department’s Approach

Chief Assad does acknowledge that all suspects are always innocent until proven guilty and that the job of the department (as with all others across the SouthCoast) is to keep their community safe.

"We are not here to win popularity contests with criminals or internet keyboard warriors. We are here to protect the people of Rochester," he said.