The Murrieta Police Department, after a novel approach to anonymizing suspects’ faces in social media posts met with an unexpected trademark request, has agreed to stop using Lego heads as digital masks. The Southern California police force had adopted the playful technique as a way to adhere to new state laws that restrict the sharing of mugshots, aiming to balance transparency with privacy.
This peculiar but imaginative practice, which began at least as early as 2023, involved placing Lego head images over suspects’ faces to mask their identities. The intent was to honor the privacy rights afforded by law—even to suspects—while still engaging with the community. “The Murrieta Police Department prides itself in its transparency with the community, but also honors everyone’s rights & protections as afforded by law; even suspects,” the department noted in a January Instagram post.
However, the move by Murrieta Police caught the attention of The Lego Group, which led to a dialogue between the toy manufacturer and the police department. “The Lego Group reached out to us and respectfully asked us to refrain from using their intellectual property in our social media content which of course we understand and will comply with,” Lt. Jeremy Durrant said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
This strategy emerged in response to California’s Assembly Bill 994 and Penal Code 13665, enacted on January 1, that prohibit law enforcement from sharing suspect photos for nonviolent crimes, except under special circumstances. Moreover, this law requires the removal of such mugshots from social media platforms after 14 days unless particular conditions are met.
Murrieta police had previously used a variety of images, such as Shrek and Donkey, and later emojis, to obscure the faces of those they arrested. While these methods garnered attention and discussion, the use of Lego heads, with their iconic and cheerful expressions, did not amuse everyone and raised concerns about the potential impact on Lego’s brand image. The toy company, concerned about the implications of having its products associated with criminal activity, made the polite but firm request.
Experts and lawmakers have increasingly pointed out the negative effects of posting booking photos on social media. For those awaiting trial, such images can imply guilt, and for those seeking to leave past convictions behind, these mugshots can be damaging and long-lasting. California’s evolving legislation on this matter reflects a growing sensitivity to the balance between public safety, transparency, and individual rights to privacy.
As it seeks alternative ways to communicate with the public, the Murrieta Police Department faces the challenge of navigating the requirements of these new laws while maintaining community engagement. Lt. Durrant mentioned: “We are currently exploring other methods to continue publishing our content in a way that is engaging and interesting to our followers.”
Relevant articles:
– Police to Stop Sticking Lego Heads Onto Suspect’s Faces After Lego Reportedly Said Please Stop | The Murrieta Police Department stated that it started putting Lego heads on suspect’s faces to comply with a new California law.
– Lego head mugshots add to California’s debate on policing and privacy, The Associated Press, Tue, 26 Mar 2024 21:33:00 GMT
– Murrieta Police to Stop Using Lego Heads on Suspects’ Photos After Company’s Request, Hoodline, Tue, 26 Mar 2024 19:28:47 GMT
– Lego instructs California police department to stop using Lego heads to mask identities of suspects, LiveNOW from FOX, Tue, 26 Mar 2024 16:21:00 GMT