A Southern California police department has been asked by Lego to stop using Lego heads to cover the faces of suspects in images shared on social media. The Murrieta Police Department had been altering photos by adding Lego heads and emojis to cover people's faces in posts on social sites since early 2023. The altered photos gained attention last week after the department posted a statement about its policy, leading to a request from Lego.
In a post on Instagram, the department explained that they covered faces in compliance with a California law that restricts the sharing of mugshots on social media. The law, which came into effect on January 1, 2023, requires police departments and sheriff's offices to remove booking photos shared on social media within 14 days, unless specific circumstances apply.
