A police department in Michigan is facing sharp backlash after admitting to using pictures of Black men at their shooting range.
During a Tuesday morning (June 28) press briefing, Farmington Hills Police Chief Jeff King confirmed there were images of Black men being used as shooting targets at the department, per local news station WXYZ. This was revealed after pictures were reportedly taken while Boy Scouts were touring the police department.
“What I see here is these are actually Black men in hoodies and they are actually holding guns, and they are actually Black men," a parent who was on the tour told reporters. "They are not black, gray or white."
City Councilmember Ken Massey says 185 out of the 2,300 images used during target practice were Black men.
“I’ll take this one on the chin," King says during the briefing. "I apologize to each and every person in this room, this community, my department, my city council, my city manager; I can’t overlook this.”
The population of Farmington Hills, which is 23 miles from Detroit, is 20% Black. Mayor Vicki Barnett says all the targets were removed and they plan on conducting a legal review, according to WXYZ. City residents are demanding an independent review of the Farmington Hills Police Department.
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