LOUISVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) — As a winter storm covered the state in snow and ice, the Louisville Metro Police Department continued its work on the streets, while its social media team stayed busy online.
Posts shared on the department’s X account left some users questioning whether the account had been hacked.
“Did we get hacked, Chat? (The answer is no),” the department wrote on X.
As snowfall continued, the posts increased. Several updates included images and videos of traffic hazards officers responded to, along with warnings urging residents to avoid travel as road conditions worsened.
“Officer Fus reminded this guy that he in fact, cannot park there,” LMPD posted on X.
Officers were also shown taking part in classic snow-day moments, including joining children for sledding and snowball fights.
Other humorous references quickly went viral, drawing millions of views.
In a later post, the department joked that the social media team had been sent to Human Resources.
“HR said we need ‘balance.’ So here is our balanced message (take it or leave it). Please drive safe. Stop abandoning cars. Stop doing donuts in front of officers. Stop skiing behind pickup trucks, morons,” the department posted, followed by a poll asking whether the page should remain “unhinged” or “balanced.”
During an afternoon briefing on Monday, Jan. 26, Mayor Craig Greenberg was asked to comment on the posts after some residents reportedly contacted media outlets, saying the messages were inappropriate and minimized the seriousness of the storm.
“They take their jobs incredibly seriously, so nobody should be confused with the clearly and obviously humorous tone of some comments they’ve been making online with the serious nature of their work,” Greenberg said.
Later, the department issued an apology.
“Good afternoon, The LMPD wishes to apologize for the tone of our tweets over the last 48 hours. Our social feeds do not accurately reflect the entire department or this community,” the department wrote on X.
“It was fun seeing the fun while it lasted,” one account replied.
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