GRETNA, La. — The two officers who were fired from the Grenta Police Department Monday after a post suggesting U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez should be shot had undergone training on social media and bias.
Now, training within the department will continue.
"I told the chief, chief you did the right thing," said Ameer Baraka who had spoken with Gretna Police Chief Arthur Lawson.
Baraka has been through poverty and prison. He used his own life experience when training Gretna police last year.
"Every officer had gone through the training, so there was no need for this," he said.
RELATED: 2 Gretna police officers fired after Facebook post suggests Rep. Ocasio-Cortez should be shot
He trained them on racial bias and social values. He believes both Charles Rispoli and Angelo Varisco were in that class. Both were fired Monday after Rispoli posted on Facebook calling Ocasio-Cortez "a vile idiot who needs a round... and I don't mean the kind she used to serve," referencing her time as a bartender.
"This incident we feel has been an embarrassment to our department," Chief Lawson said.
The post was made up, marked as satire by 'Taters Gonna Tate.' Varisco was fired for 'liking' the post.
"If you watch me break in someones car and you didn't say anything or you agree with it, you're just as guilty, so absolutely he needs to be fired," Baraka said, defending the decision to fire Varisco.
A self-identified democratic socialist, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted about this incident saying, 'This is Trump's goal when he uses targeted language & threatens elected officials who don't agree w/ his political agenda. It's authoritarian behavior.'
Chief Lawson said just this month, the department went through training on what kind of comments they can make on social media.
"All of those efforts, something like this still happens and it's very disturbing," he said.
The post comes at a time where police officers nationwide are being scrutinized for racial and violent social media posts. Baraka claims he's in touch with Philadelphia police about training up there, as 13 police officers are currently being fired for racist and offensive posts.
"This is the new standard now," Baraka said.
Now, Chief Lawson wants to intensify training with Gretna police.
"We're going to continue with that, were going to intensify our training," Chief Lawson said.
Baraka plans to go back to Gretna for more training within the month.
This case isn't over yet, Lawson said in a press conference they're waiting to hear back from Facebook to determine if anyone else in the department engaged in that post.