The Louisville Metro Police Department is taking no prisoners on social media. And I’m all about it. In a January 25th post to the official X profile (the website previously called Twitter), someone wrote: “If you crash tonight doing donuts in a parking lot, that’s between you and Jesus. We’re tired.” During the snowmageddon that buried much of the U.S., the post went absolutely viral. The response was somehow even funnier than the original thread.
I’ve long argued that doing donuts in the snow builds safer drivers. But that may not be exactly what the LMPD was trying to say. Here’s the entire story.
The LMPD’s chaotic social media
Many of the department’s posts during the blizzard were downright hilarious—though admittedly unhinged. Such as jokes about surging bourbon sales caused by the weather. Or the following gem: “Highlands folks taking ‘walkable neighborhood’ a little too seriously… seen three people skiing to Heine Bros on Bardstown rd then immediately falling on their butts. Serves you right, stay home.”
There were also good-natured videos of police officers pushing drivers out of the ditch, joining neighborhood kids in snowball fights, and live updates of a very embarrassed officer who got his cruiser stuck in the snow. But in amongst all the entertainment was a single message: “Stay home if possible.” Sure, the department mocked drivers with bald tires or who high-centered their FWD Camry on a snowbank. But the message was consistent: Everyone’s getting stuck. Don’t be like everyone.
Perhaps this “protect and serve” philosophy behind all the sarcasm is why the department stuck to its guns over the “donuts” post.
The fallout of the Louisville PD’s “donuts” post
The original “If you crash” post got seven million impressions. For comparison’s sake, that’s the population of New York City. It got 124,000 likes, 9,300 reposts, and 1,200 comments. The fallout was immediate…