UPDATE, 3:04 p.m.:
The Sheriff’s Office posted this message to Facebook a few minutes ago:
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UPDATE, 1:36 p.m.:
In response to our inquiry about the social media post, Lt. Jesse Taylor texted the Outpost to say that the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office had received an inquiry from another local media outlet asking how law enforcement was preparing for impacts from the looming government shutdown.
He continued: “[T]he spirit of the post was to message that we would not tolerate theft or looting, which might impact those in need. In retrospect, the post was insensitive and we understand how we missed the mark. We recognized this and took it down for these reasons.”
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Original post:
Image via Facebook.
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Earlier today the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office posted the message below to its Facebook page, accompanied by the above image.
Effective Nov 1, if the government shutdown continues, many members of our community may have their benefits indefinitely delayed. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is ready to respond to any calls for service involving theft or looting.
We encourage our community to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity. If you rely on food benefits, make sure you’re prepared for possible delays. If you see anything suspicious, let us know.
For more information, visit: cdss.ca.gov.
Reactions on Facebook were mixed, with several people expressing anger at the framing of needy neighbors as criminal threats.
The post was deleted after about 20 minutes, but many local residents remain upset. Humboldt County Fourth District Supervisor Natalie Arroyo told the Outpost she has received multiple calls from constituents who found the post offensive to people who receive benefits.
We reached out to the Sheriff’s Office for comment. Lt. Jesse Taylor said he would inquire with the employees who usually make the office’s social media posts and get back to us. We’ll update this post if and when we hear back.
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