X-rated chopper talk

It’s better to remain silent and be thought a fool, the old saying goes.

Police in Winnipeg looked a bit silly last week when an officer accidentally flicked on the loudspeaker during a routine patrol flight. Two officers began to speak, then removed all doubt. They might have also blown their professional reputations.

The ensuing chopper chatter horrified residents near and far. One cop propositioned the other for oral sex. Too much body hair, his buddy shot back, across a west Winnipeg neighbourhood.

A couple of friends strolling by the Manitoba Legislature heard disembodied voices from the heavens above, cusses and snippets of discussions of cash.

Excerpts from the “not safe for work” conversation soon appeared on Twitter, prompting an apology from the Winnipeg Police Service using the trending hashtag, #whoops.

When the officers realized what happened, they “immediately turned the system off,” police said. They now know the loudspeaker really works. And that silence is always an option.

A professional review is underway. Let’s hope it’s accompanied by a little bit of personal reflection. They can only wait for this thing to blow over.