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The Illinois State Police has issued an apology after using an image of police officers holding weapons from “The Call of Duty” in a recruitment poster.
Residents of Peoria, Illinois, are confused by a recent Call of Duty -style recruitment ad that they say promotes violence.
The ad, posted on the Peoria Police Department’s social media, shows officers wearing tactical gear and holding guns, with the slogan: “Stop playing games and answer the call of duty.” The text uses the same font as popular FPS titles.
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Images of the job ad quickly made their way to Reddit, with residents expressing their displeasure, calling the poster “tone deaf.” Others even took issue with the fact that the ad only featured white people.
As the backlash spread, the police department halted operations and issued a statement apologizing for the ad, acknowledging that it was targeted at younger viewers and gamers.
Police Department’s ‘Dark Days’ ad sparks backlash
Police Chief Eric Echevarria told the Star he believed the images on the posters would help connect with younger generations.
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“If anyone was offended, or we offended anybody, I want to apologize, sincerely apologize,” he said. “That’s my business.”
He added: “It was not my intention to offend any of our community members with the recruitment flyer posted on our Facebook page yesterday. “I thought it was just a recruitment image that would appeal to the younger generation and connect with them. Take responsibility and I sincerely apologize.”
The police chief further noted that the department’s goal is to find the best, most qualified officers “in the most caring and respectful manner.”
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Echevarria claimed that going forward, he and other members of the department will be more careful about recruiting strategies and look at things from a community perspective.
This isn’t the first time police have been in trouble over video games. In 2022, two police officers were fired for ignoring a robbery in progress in Pokemon Go to capture a Corolla.
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