LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Kentucky State Police Facebook page got a new cover photo Tuesday, and it didn't exactly win over everyone on social media.
The cover shot featured a helicopter with two blocks of text on either side: "OUR COLOR IS GRAY" and "OUR GENDER IS TROOPER."
Beneath the text were 11 troopers and Kentucky State Police personnel (as well as a K-9) standing in front of several KSP vehicles, with at least one woman and two Black members of the agency appearing to be in the photo, which includes no caption.
By late Wednesday morning, the cover photo had been changed back to a previous 2017 photo of three troopers.
This isn't the first time KSP has used the "Our Color is Gray" and "Our Gender is Trooper" motto on social media, with the agency featuring it in various tweets over the years to promote recruitment and diversity efforts.
Sgt. Billy Gregory, a Kentucky State Police spokesman, told The Courier Journal in an email that over the past 25 years, the agency "has used the phrase to demonstrate that the agency is committed to racial and gender inclusivity."
"Prior to today, we were unaware of any concerns raised about the phrase," Gregory said Wednesday. "Given that KSP is committed to providing professional services to everyone in the commonwealth and is actively pursuing a diverse workforce, we look forward to discussing and learning more about the concerns raised today."
Some commenters used the cover photo as an opportunity to thank state troopers for their service, urging them to "stay safe!"
But among the over 5,600 comments and nearly 4,000 shares the new cover photo had received as of Wednesday morning, before it was replaced, were plenty of critics who called the image tone-deaf.
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"What is this tone deaf nonsense? Because all this campaign tells me is that KSP finds using play on words at the expense of POC and trans (folks) acceptable," one person commented on the KSP photo. "It sure doesn’t make me feel like they’re out to protect those populations in our state."
"As a trans woman I am so glad I don’t live in Kentucky," another commenter said. "This is so freaking cringe it’s not even funny. KSP y’all need to reevaluate this."
Others criticized the agency for not learning from previous controversies, such as last year's revelation of Kentucky State Police previously using training materials that quoted Adolph Hitler and urged cadets to act as a "ruthless killer."
The training material controversy led to Rodney Brewer resigning as state police commissioner last November, and Gov. Andy Beshear has since appointed Col. Phillip "PJ" Burnett Jr. to lead the law enforcement agency.
This story has been updated.
Reach Billy Kobin at [email protected].
