A police agency in Georgia has apologized after images and video were released showing several individuals and officers using shooting targets depicting a Black man during a gun safety lesson, as reported by CBS News.
On Saturday, June 17, the Villa Rica Police Department released photographs showing that every single target had a picture of a Black man.
The photos no longer exist on the department's Facebook page, but the original postings and comments are still visible. Many commenters questioned the validity of the targets, calling them "offensive and disrespectful" and demanding an apology from the police.
Public Apology for the 'Offensive' Use of a Black Guy on Target Practice
The Villa Rica police department issued a public apology on Facebook on Tuesday, June 20, writing that they work hard "to be conscious of how our relationship with our community members has a direct impact on our effectiveness within the community we serve."
In Villa Rica, which is a city of about 18,000 people, 42.6% of the population is Black, based on the statistics from the US Census Bureau in 2022.
As per the post, "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." The apology post, however, failed to address why exclusively pictures of Black males were displayed.
The government agency acknowledged that it may have offended some people, hence, issuing an apology for doing so. "We invite everyone to attend one of our next citizen firearms classes and share in a positive experience alongside us."
Facebook Users Are Quick to Express Their Disapproval of the Apology
The apology was swiftly condemned by Facebook users who wondered why the targets only depicted a Black guy despite the agency's claim that the package included people of all races. On Wednesday, June 21, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) chapter for Carroll County also published a statement in response.
"The 'apology' statement from your department via Facebook displays a lack of sincerity and sensitivity toward minority residents and makes it abundantly clear that your department lacks the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion [DEI] that all local officials should strive to participate in," Dominique Conteh, the president of the Carroll County branch, said in the statement shared on Facebook.
"We believe that DEI training would've given more insight as to the reasoning as to why those targets are 'unacceptable and deemed racist.'"
As per Conteh, the NAACP has requested a meeting with the Villa Rica mayor, municipal manager, and councilwoman. Since making the request, the group has not provided any new information.
