Video: Starkville Police Respond to Cyber Threat

by Victoria Bailey

STARKVILLE, Miss.(WCBI)—Police Officers face danger on a daily basis.

But now some threats come from behind keyboards and computer screens.

more than 65 percent of adults are using social media according to the pew research center.

As the number of users continues to rise, so does crime online.

This threat comes from social media but police say there is a local person behind it.

Chief Frank Nichols with the Starkville police department says,”We just can’t afford at this point to take any threat lightly.”

Protect and Serve is the promise police officers make. They make it a point to know the people in their communities and to keep them safe.

Nichols says,”We’re still here to serve that’s our primary goal we are disappointed in one of our local veteran that made these threat but you know we have to keep on moving forward.”

Starkville Police Chief Frank Nichols says former military man Christopher Lindsey left a message for a Starkville police officer on Facebook. an act that has landed him in jail.

Chief Nichols says when he first heard about the threat, he was shocked because he knows Lindsey.

Nichols says there seems to be a pattern of former military officers threatening police over social media.

“if you look at his back ground and the back ground of both the shooters in baton rouge and Dallas. They both had military back grounds. They both made threats over social media so we don’t take that lightly.

Nichols says he wants to make a point to anyone thinking about threatening one of his officers.

Nichols says,”I definitely want to send a message that we’re not going to accept it here at Starkville police department… any kinda threats to a police officer.”

Lindsey is charged with cyber stalking which is a felony charge.

Lindsey faces 2 years in prison and a fine.

He will make his first appearance in Municipal court next week.