‘You’re a hottie.’ Ohio cop traces license plate to Facebook message woman, she says
An Ohio police officer resigned Tuesday after a woman posted screenshots alleging he used police equipment to find her name and message her on Facebook.
The City of Rossford, a southern suburb of Toledo, announced Tuesday it was investigating “improper conduct” by officer Glenn Goss Jr.
An hour later, the city announced the officer had submitted his resignation.
A Facebook post Monday by Emily Hackler shows Goss Jr. messaged her on Facebook Monday afternoon. She wrote in her post he followed her on her way home from the gym.
“Had fun racing you on Crossroads and 795 earlier,” Goss Jr. wrote to Hackler, according to her screenshot.
Hackler asked who he was and Goss Jr. responded with a picture of himself in uniform in what appears to be a police car.
Goss Jr. told her he was on his way to his shift when he saw Hackler driving. Goss Jr. is seen in screenshots flirting with the woman on Facebook.
“I apologize for the randomness haha,” he said. “I just wanted to give you a hard time quick about racing and say you’re a hottie.”
When asked how he knew who she was, Goss Jr. said he found out through her “plate #.” Police officers can run people’s license plate numbers to retrieve some personal information, including identification.
“I’m not a fan of stalking and harassment,” Hackler wrote in her last message to the officer. “You had no business looking my information up while not even on the job, meanwhile messaging me on your personal account which you got from my information that I did not willingly give you.”
Rossford Police Chief Todd Kitzler said “officers do not have access to the systems in their personal vehicles or while they are off-duty,” according to the Toledo Blade.
“I’m disappointed, that’s my feeling right now. But I don’t want to jump to any conclusions until the investigation is done,” Kitzler continued. “It’s a very serious allegation, and if you want my feelings, I’m disappointed,.”
Another woman came forward this week after Hackler’s post, saying she was a victim of similar advances from Goss Jr.
Taylor Yarder told WTVG she was pulled over by Goss Jr. a year ago and he gave her a warning for speeding. He later messaged Yarder on Facebook, she said.
“You almost were in trouble *sweating emoji face.* The next person I stopped wasn’t so lucky...hahaha,” Goss Jr. wrote Yarder, she told WTVG.
She told WNWO she did not think “it was something to report at the time until I saw this other girl’s messages.”
Hackler described the events to WNWO and said Goss Jr. took all the same turns as her during her drive home.
“It was terrifying that someone like this is working as an officer, has access to millions of people’s information and can do this with anybody,” she said.
The town’s mayor said there were three total complaints against Goss Jr., according to the Toledo Blade.
In his statement Tuesday, Rossford mayor Neil MacKinnon said the city’s investigation “concluded there were grounds for termination.” However, Goss Jr. resigned before the city could take such action.
“Since the officer resigned prior to the completion of the investigation, no further administrative or employment action is possible,” MacKinnon stated.
Goss Jr. was hired in 2016 and is the son of former Rossford police chief Glenn Goss Sr., WTOL reported.
The elder Goss said his stepping down in 2018 was “indirectly ... related to my son being on the force,” according to the Sentinel-Tribune. Goss Sr. was with the department for 32 years, including seven as the city’s chief, according to the Sentinel-Tribune.
The city is continuing its criminal investigation into Goss Jr., MacKinnon said.
