Officer in Trouble Over FaceBook Post

Sgt. Brent Raban, who was one of three Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputies recently demoted, may have been confusing reality at work with the comics he loved.

Raban told internal affairs investigators he was a big fan of Batman and The Punisher comic books.

To celebrate the character at work, Raban liked to wear a camouflage skullcap emblazoned with the word "PUNISHMENT!"

Raban also posted on his Facebook this phrase: "It's not crime fighting ... It's dealing out PUNISHMENT!"

Investigators also documented other alarming comments on his Facebook such as writing in one instance that he roughed up one suspect. "But like a good batterer," he added, "I know the areas that hide the marks well."

Palm Beach Post staff Michael Laforgia has the story.

A Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office sergeant has been demoted because of comments he posted on his Facebook page.

Brent Raban no longer patrols the streets of Belle Glade as a sergeant with the sheriff's office after his superiors learned he was posting messages bragging about how he beat up people he arrested, according to internal documents obtained by WPBF News 25 on Tuesday.

Internal Affairs investigators said Raban's Facebook page included comments that said, "It's not crime fighting. It's dealing out punishment."

Following an arrest in which a suspect was roughed up, investigators said, Raban posted, "But like a good batterer, I know the areas that hide the marks well."

In one instance, investigators said, Raban had posted on Facebook that he was losing his cool because he had gone 14 days without hitting someone.

Raban was demoted to deputy sheriff and two deputies who worked with him lost their jobs.

Many of the people who live in Belle Glade learned about the demotion Tuesday.

"It seems surprising that it would go on here in Palm Beach County," said one resident. "It's not something you hear everyday."

"That's wrong though, in my opinion," said another resident. "You don't treat people like that if you're on the force like that. That's not right."

Mary Kendall, a former Belle Glade commissioner, said she's not surprised about Raban's comments.

"I'm sure that this is just the tip of the iceberg, and if there are other complaints that need to come forth, now is the time for them to come forth," said Kendall.

It was not clear where Raban would be assigned.

There had been a criminal investigation, but the state attorney's office did not press charges, citing lack of evidence.

Drum roll please and the Dumass award goes tooo.......

When i am off duty I am joe blow nothing at my home internet says what i do period

Lesson to be learned here folks. His "free speech" has come home to haunt him.

It was Pot Belly who did him