The Murrieta Police Department in California has come up with a unique solution to comply with state laws regarding the sharing of suspect images on social media. In an effort to hide the identities of suspects arrested for nonviolent crimes, the department has been using Lego heads to cover their faces in booking photos and mugshots.
According to Assembly Bill 994 and Penal Code 13665, law enforcement agencies are prohibited from sharing images of suspects arrested for nonviolent crimes on social media. Additionally, mugshots posted on social media must be deleted after 14 days unless special circumstances exist.
The department explained that they have been using Lego faces to obscure the faces of suspects long before the law went into effect on January 1. A police spokesperson told Fox News Digital that they have been doing this for the past couple of years as a way to keep the community updated on public safety events while respecting the new regulations.
In a Facebook post, the Murrieta Police Department stated, “The Murrieta Police Department prides itself on its transparency with the community, but also honors everyone’s rights & protections as afforded by law; even suspects.”
The department also mentioned that in November, they chose not to post images of those arrested for various reasons, including the presumption of innocence and the potential effects a post could have on a person or their families.
This creative approach by the Murrieta Police Department has garnered attention and sparked discussions about privacy rights and law enforcement practices. The use of Lego heads to cover suspect faces in booking photos and mugshots is a novel way to navigate the complexities of sharing suspect images on social media while upholding legal requirements.
