ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — Ann Arbor Police are taking some serious criticism over a Facebook posting of kids' events next month with what they thought were cute labels.
- “Frozen treats with the heat”
- Playing catch, “catch me if you can”
- Playing hoops, “take the cops to court”
- Reading to kids, “get booked”
A spokesman for the department says this was not intentional to be offensive or a distraction.
People attending the popular Ann Arbor Art Fair called the labeling negative and descriptions of punishment.
But another mother says she doesn’t have an issue with the wording calling it “putting it all together so the kids can understand and making it cute for them”
The post went on the Ann Arbor Public Schools Facebook page yesterday and the posts criticizing the labeling went up in minutes. The post has since been replaced with the same events now being called pop-ups.
Dr. Lisa Jackson is chair of the Ann Arbor Independent Community Police Oversight Commission.
She tells 7 Action News this is not about people being oversensitive to the wording. It is much more.
“I think these are real-world issues for lots of people. And so they aren't fun. They're not cute, they're not charming,” Dr. Jackson said in a Zoom interview.
People who posted comments on the Ann Arbor Public Schools Facebook page called the labeling, racist, horrific and more.
Dr. Jackson adds “Some people, particularly a lot of people in Ann Arbor, haven't had to experience. But that doesn't make those people really sensitive. What it means is that there's a lot of privileged folks in Ann Arbor, who don't understand how these things are ultimately really harmful.”
Dr. Jackson says the Police Department needs to be aware of the context in which they work.
Ann Arbor police have issued the following apology about the fliers:
The Ann Arbor Police Department is dedicated to fostering a positive relationship with our community. The purpose of these family friendly events is to enjoy summer refreshments, play games, read books to children, and provide families with free back to school supplies. In our haste to get the word out about the event, a flyer was crafted with what was thought to be a witty play on words. We would like to apologize to anyone who found our initial flyer in poor taste. We are excited about our Pop-Up events schedule this summer and look forward to interacting with members of the community who are able to attend.
