The Topeka Police Department (TPD) may be seeking a new social media manager amid fallout from a crude tweet that was “quickly deleted,” but cemented in social media archives with screenshots.
At 11:06 a.m. on June 16, @Topeka_Police, the verified Twitter profile of the TPD, issued a since-deleted tweet saying, “Does your child’s father have warrants? Is he carrying around any drugs? Has he been committing any crimes? Want to give him a Father’s Day he’ll never forget? Call TPD and we’ll help your family make a memory that’ll last a lifetime.”
The tweet no longer exists on TPD’s page; however, a few Twitter users’ tweets in response to the posting do remain on the platform.
If any of those things are true, than the child in question may have some challenges in their life and adding trauma to that on a holiday seems like not a great idea. Please rethink this
— AMMac (@BaklavaFairy) June 16, 2019
Poor taste and extremely unprofessional!
— P.J. (@pshields200) June 16, 2019
Disgusting
— S.C. (@yelphets) June 16, 2019
— Clever Profile Name (@JoeMacofKC) June 16, 2019
A full day of backlash ensued before TPD issued an apology, claiming “the tweet was meant to be humorous and light-hearted,” despite the subject being imprisoning a child’s father and making the experience “last a lifetime.”
Apology regarding tweet: pic.twitter.com/him4coGASp
— Topeka Police (@Topeka_Police) June 17, 2019
The department claims they learned their lesson, but that did not stop hundreds of netizens from commenting on the matter. In fact, the apology probably encouraged more users around the country to seek out the department’s original tweet, which would explain the glaring ratio of replies versus retweets and likes.
I think you meant it exactly the way it was received.
— Whitney Lindeman 🍕 (@whitneylindeman) June 17, 2019
Do us all a favor and throw yourselves directly in the 🗑🙄
— Rikkilynne (@erykahlynne) June 17, 2019
Solve them damn cold cases is what y’all should be doin
— Aide✨ (@Queen1Aide) June 17, 2019
Solve them damn cold cases is what y’all should be doin
— Aide✨ (@Queen1Aide) June 17, 2019
— PrinceOfWhalesHat (@Popehat) June 17, 2019
Exactly why we have no trust in the police. You guys long for the moment that you get to put someone in handcuffs, locking their life away, and essentially throwing away the key. Once cops start arresting other cops for their criminal behavior you'll gain some credibility.
— Jordan (@YourBoYJc1) June 17, 2019
I’m looking forward to a similar one next May “celebrating” Mother’s Day.
— Carl Lund (@CopeKnight) June 17, 2019
