Is this anything? Firefighters & cops under investigation in Fresno, California after posing with bikini clad models. Dave has some questions.

I think it's possible my standards are shot and I've lost all perspective. I will be the first to admit that I see so many really bad things people in public safety are accused of doing that I am having a tough time judging the not so outrageous ones. That's the case with this story from Fresno, California.

In the video above, uniformed police officers and firefighters are shown posing with bikini clad models who were part of the Shine Car and Bike Show at Aldo's Nightclub in Central Fresno last Wednesday. The pictures were on the Internet until ClubFlys.com removed them from its website. KSFN-TV says that request came from Fresno police.

The Fresno city manager told the TV station if the pictures are real this could be "a clear violation of Fresno's public safety agencies' ethical and professional standards." A city council member said, "There's appropriate behavior and inappropriate behavior and this just does not look good, so it needs to be dealt with appropriately."  The police chief says an internal affairs investigation has been started by the police department. The fire chief told the reporter to talk to City Hall.

According to the news coverage, the police officers were hired as security at the event and that the fire truck was waved down when the crew drove by the club. A model and the photographer said the police officers and firefighters initially declined to have their pictures taken with the women.

I am the first to admit that these pictures probably aren't the best image for public safety. Especially the one with the woman sitting on a firefighter's lap. Probably poor judgment. As we have mentioned before, it's always best to ask yourself how will this picture look for the department when it shows up in the newspaper or on TV.

But possibly because there is so much worse out there, I am having a tough time getting outraged over this one. Is it me? Have my standards dropped so much that I accept this?

And for those who take the opposite view and think this is just horrible, here are some questions: 

• Should there be a rule that police officers and firefighters aren't allowed to pose for pictures if the citizens are dressed in bathing suits?
• Should that be the case if your department provides public safety at a beach community?
• If the women were wearing evening gowns with plunging necklines that showed a good portion of their breasts would that be any more acceptable?
• Is it okay to wear a fire department t-shirt or uniform and pose with models at a fire convention?
• Should firefighters and police just not pose for any pictures with the public?
• What guidelines do you have in your department for this?

Yes, the cops and the firefighters in this case probably should have trusted their instinct and not posed for pictures. But my questions are an effort to try and bring into focus exactly where that line is they crossed. And I keep getting a bit of a fuzzy picture.