Viral Online Video Falsely Identifies Harrison Police Officer: Chief

HARRISON, NY — Harrison police say that a viral video purportedly featuring a Harrison police officer, does not actually depict the HPD officer identified in the video and in fact has nothing at all to do with the department.

Harrison Police Chief John Vasta released a statement on social media condemning the video and pointing out that the footage being shared on social media actually shows an interaction involving a police officer from another jurisdiction, but falsely depicts and identifies Harrison Police Department Officer Robert Budde.

"Neither Police Officer Budde nor the Harrison Police Department had any involvement with this matter," Vasta said in the statement. "This reckless and flagrantly false post has resulted in numerous phone calls tying up our phone line and inquiries via social media."

The police chief said the video's creator apparently took a photo of the officer from the department's social media page and wrongfully associated him with a police interaction from another jurisdiction altogether.

The Harrison Police Department had zero involvement in events depicted in video, according to Vasta.

The video was still being shared online at the time this story was posted.

"The photo of our officer, which was apparently taken from social media, shows him in a Harrison Police Department uniform — even though this incident did not occur in Harrison and had no legitimate association with our department or Police Officer Budde," The police chief said. "We have been in touch with this site to demand that they immediately remove Police Officer Budde’s image from their site."