Department of Public Safety Trooper Billy Spears filed the civil lawsuit on Wednesday (29Apr15), insisting his superiors were wrong to publicly admonish him when he posed for a photo with the rapper, who has several drug-possession convictions.

Spears was performing an off-duty security shift when one of Snoop Dogg's assistants took the photo in March (15) and posted it on Instagram.

The police officer is seeking unspecified damages and a jury trial.