On June 17, 2023, the Villa Rica Police Department in Carroll County, Georgia, posted disturbing images on their Facebook page.
After holding a citizens handgun and laws/safety class, images were shared that had multiple photos of a Black man’s image on shooting targets.
“We wanted to share a few photos with everyone. Even though the weather was hot, everyone seemed to have a good time. Check out our Facebook page for more photos,” the caption read.
One of the photos featured an instructor standing near a participant aiming a handgun at a target, according to FOX News.
The photos and caption quickly caused outrage in the Georgia community, and were brought to the attention of the NAACP.
Due to the uproar on Facebook, the police department quickly took the photos down and posted an apology.
“The Villa Rica Police Department strives to be conscious of how our relationship with our community members has a direct impact on our effectiveness within the community we serve. This includes our stance on being equitable to all people regardless of their human diversity factors. The targets utilized in our recent firearms class depict realistic human images and were part of a package which included target images of people from various ethnic groups. It was never our intention to be insensitive, inflammatory, or offensive to anyone. However, we respect the honest opinions of our fellow citizens and apologize for any offense we may have caused,” The Villa Rica Police Department shared.
This second post led the NAACP of Carroll County to send out a letter bringing attention to the controversial images and how it negatively affects the community.
“This ‘target’ is extremely offensive to many Villa Rica and Carroll County residents. These types of targets have been used by other police departments within the U.S. and have been deemed racially inappropriate and unacceptable. The apology posted also displayed a lack of sincerity and sensitivity toward minority residents,” the letter read, according to FOX News.
