Why the L.A. Sheriff’s Department Has Apologized for ‘Offensive’ Social Media Post About Iran

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"This post was unacceptable, made in error, and does not reflect the views of the Department,” a statement read.

The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department has formally apologized for an “offensive and inappropriate social media post” related to the ongoing conflict in Iran.

“This post was unacceptable, made in error, and does not reflect the views of Sheriff Robert G. Luna or the Department,” the Sheriff’s Department said in a statement online, posted late Sunday. “As a law enforcement agency, we do not comment on foreign policy or military matters. Our mission remains solely focused on protecting public safety and serving our diverse community.”

The apology notice went on to say that the department understands that words and messages ”carry weight" and that they will be conducting an internal review into the social media post, which has since been deleted, to “determine how it was created and published.”

The original post was shared on X on June 22, hours after it was announced that the U.S. had completed strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites. According to a screenshot obtained by KTLA, the caption read: "Our hearts go out to the victims and families impacted by the recent bombings in Iran. While this tragic event occurred overseas, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is closely monitoring the situation alongside our local, state, and federal partners."

The mention of “victims and families” has since been removed from edited versions of the post on other platforms, and the original post on X is no longer visible.

The message sparked controversy, with some people criticizing the Sheriff's Department for commenting on military actions and sharing a message that appeared to be sympathetic.

One conservative commentator said that the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department “should be ashamed of themselves,” while a Fox News correspondent said he believed “someone went rogue” with an “unapproved post," calling it a "PR disaster."

According to the Migration Policy Institute, more than half of all Iranian immigrants in the U.S. live in California, and over a third live in the L.A. metropolitan area. Many of those Iranian Americans living in L.A. are a part of the Iranian diaspora that fled the 1979 Iranian revolution.

Meanwhile, the U.S. strikes have divided opinion among U.S. lawmakers and beyond. Prominent world leaders and figures have expressed they are “gravely alarmed” by the military action, while others have called for de-escalation and a return to negotiations over nuclear capabilities.

The world awaits a response from Iran, which has threatened retaliation over the U.S. strikes that targeted three key nuclear facilities after the U.S. joined the ongoing conflict alongside Israel.

https://time.com/7296772/los-angeles-sheriffs-department-social-media-post-iran-controversy/