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UTAH COUNTY — People in the law enforcement community are crying foul over a new Ken Garff billboard. The car company is apologizing and taking down a number of billboards along Interstate 15.
The freeway is plastered with Ken Garff ads, none of which depict cars, but the company's catch phrase "We Hear You."
“We've actually enjoyed a lot of their billboards and have laughed at a lot of their billboards,” said Ricki Draper of Wives of Utah Law Enforcement.
Now, they're hearing an ear full about an ad that pictures a local law enforcement officer who works in Utah County. Officer Deke Taylor, who was depicted in the ad, said he's embarrassed and had no idea when the picture was taken, it would be used for any kind of ad.
“There's no question that photograph was meant to use law enforcement to put across their message at the expense of law enforcement in such a derogatory way,” Taylor said. “Especially at this time when people have a hard time with a lot of what we do.”
Officer Taylor said he feels people like and support law enforcement in Utah and wouldn't think the ads were funny in any context.
Ken Garff's spokesperson Matt Jensen released a statement saying:
"For some time, we've tried to incorporate humor in our campaigns. The risk with humor is that we can miss the mark, like it did here. We didn't intend this to be disrespectful when we approved the billboard.
In hindsight, we recognize the negative way it can be and has been interpreted."
The statement also said the officer was photographed with permission. Ken Garff told KSL the officer was paid for the photograph.
Officers and people in the law enforcement community say it's not only in poor taste, but also bad timing considering the politics around policing right now.
“Ken Garff is a household name and to see somebody like that put a negative light on our men and woman of law enforcement, it was just a gut punch,” Draper said. “There are so many people out there that are just anti-law enforcement right now and they need our support now more than ever.”
And though they say they wish the ads never went up, at least they say they've been heard.
Ken Garff said on Facebook they blew it, which got a positive response from the community. Local officers said they're grateful the billboards are down so quickly.
Contributing: Xoel Cardenas
