LOS ANGELES. The Murrieta Police Department in Southern California finds itself in a tussle with Lego after employing the iconic toy’s heads to obscure suspects’ faces in social media posts.
“Why the covered faces?” queried the department in a March 18 Instagram post, showcasing a lineup of individuals with their faces concealed by Lego heads sporting different expressions. The post, which referenced California’s recent law restricting the sharing of mugshots on social media, sparked widespread attention.
“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,” the department asserted.
While law enforcement agencies across the U.S. have traditionally shared mugshots on platforms like “Mugshot Mondays” and “Wanted Wednesdays,” experts highlight the detrimental impact of such practices. Mugshots, they argue, can unfairly stigmatize individuals and hinder their reintegration into society post-conviction.
Under California’s new law, agencies must remove shared booking photos within 14 days, except under specific circumstances. Murrieta police had adapted to this by using Lego heads and emojis, aiming to comply with the law while maintaining community engagement.
However, on March 19, Lego intervened, requesting the department to refrain from using its intellectual property in social media content.
Assemblymember Corey Jackson, the primary sponsor of the California law, acknowledged the privacy protection offered by Lego heads but questioned residents’ perception. He raised concerns about law enforcement agencies seeking loopholes, such as posting images of suspects in police cruisers, to circumvent the law’s intent.
Amidst the controversy, the department is exploring alternative methods for social media content. Jackson emphasized the need for law enforcement to uphold trust and integrity, urging compliance with the law rather than seeking loopholes.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
