It started as a post on the Portland police union Facebook page offering condolences for the Las Vegas shooting victims. Then it drew a critical comment from a city worker about guns. That's when the matter landed in front of Portland's HR manager.

Just another day on social media.

The minor tempest began the day after the carnage left by a gunman who killed 58 people at a country music concert on the Las Vegas strip.

Officer Daryl Turner, president of the Portland Police Association, sent out prayers on Facebook to the families of victims and acknowledged the "heroic acts of law enforcement and other first responders.''

But a commenter fired back quickly: "Screw you guys. You (through FOP) work with the NRA and promote more guns, not fewer. They backed Trump. This is hollow, coming from police unions.''

FOP stands for Fraternal Order of Police, an organization of law enforcement officers from around the country who have been criticized for the lack of diversity among their leadership and support of police officers involved in shootings of black men.

Turner simply replied to the comment on Facebook that the police union isn't affiliated with the Fraternal Order of Police.

But the comment got under the skin of veteran police Officer Thomas Brennan. He found out the man who left the comment was a city employee, called Portland's human service's manager and sent her a screenshot of the post. Brennan said he did this from home.

"Did we confirm that this posting was not during working hours with the city of Portand?'' Brennan wrote in a follow-up email to Kanwit. "If we have done that, thanks. If not can we? It looks to be during the day, so I'm assuming.''

The man who posted the comment, Mark Bunster, works as an applications analyst within the city's Bureau of Technology Services. Brennan said he found Bunster worked for the city by checking his LinkedIn page.

Kanwit told Brennan that there was little the city could do, citing Bunster's right to free speech. She also said minimum personal use of city computers is allowed at work, and Bunster didn't engage in political activity.

"Since he doesn't identify himself as a city employee, these are his personal views and there really isn't anything the City can do,'' Kanwit said in an email to Brennan. "As we discussed Oregon has a very strong free speech component in our constitution. But thank you for bringing this to my attention. If he ties his city employment to these views it will be a different situation.''

Brennan said he's not interested in stifling free speech, but was disturbed by the timing of Bunster's comment so close to the worst mass shooting in modern American history. He said he doesn't understand how the city could conclude Bunster's comment wasn't "political activity.''

"I don't think when it mentions the most polarizing political figure in our lifetime you can say it's not political,'' Brennan said.

Bunster, 50, who has worked for the city for more than 15 years, was asked if he was aware of the complaint and wanted to comment.

"I'll pass on that. Thank you,'' he said.

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian