Joe.My.God. LGBT News
The Hill reports:
A California police department said it would no longer use Lego heads to obscure suspects’ faces in social media posts, after the Lego Group requested the department cease the practice, citing intellectual property concerns.
“The Lego Group reached out to me on March 19th and respectfully asked us to refrain from using their intellectual property in our social media content,” Murrieta Police Department Lt. Jeremy Durrant said in a statement.
Durrant continued, “Which of course, we understand and will comply with.” Durrant said the department would consider alternative approaches.
More from the Murrieta Police:
Why the covered faces? On January 1st, a new law went into effect that restricts the how and when law enforcement agencies in California share suspect photos & mugshots.
The new law, Assembly Bill 994 & Penal Code 13665, now prohibits law enforcement from sharing suspect photos for nonviolent crimes, unless specified circumstances exist. Additionally, the new law requires agencies to remove suspect mugshots from social media after 14 days, unless special circumstances exist.
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. In order to share what is happening in Murrieta, we chose to cover the faces of suspects to protect their identity while still aligning with the new law.
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