The Peoria police took down a recruitment post themed after Call of Duty when many netizens pointed out how tone-deaf it was. We’ve seen the police involved in violence against civilians before, so this ad didn’t do them any favors, reminding people of how they take the law into their own hands.
Despite the Peoria police taking this ad down, it was posted on the internet and is everywhere for most people to see. In the ad, we see three policemen with guns while the ad tells potential recruits to “stop playing games and answer the Call of Duty.”
Eric Echevarria, the Police Chief of the Peoria Police Department, released a statement to the Journal Star and apologized for the imagery. The Police Chief said that this ad was supposed to appeal to Call of Duty fans, but they failed to realize how tone-deaf it was.
"It was never my intention to offend any of our community members with the recruitment flyer that was posted on our Facebook page yesterday," Echevarria said. "It was simply a recruitment image I thought would appeal and connect to a younger generation. I take ownership of this, and I sincerely apologize. Our goal is to recruit the best and most qualified officers for this police department in the most caring and respectful way."
Hearing the Police Chief say they want to connect to a younger generation is a bit odd since the Call of Duty games have always been M-rated. Then again, that hasn’t stopped several younger fans from playing the game, as it’s still one of the most popular games out there. Even with a bad entry like Modern Warfare 3, fans are willing to pick the game up just to shoot some of their friends.
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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is readily available on PS5, Xbox Series, and PC. Warzone 2.0 is also available as a free download, albeit, with optional microtransactions.
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