Update 8/21/20 5:00 p.m.: According to the Jackson Hole News and Guide, the officer who wrote the blotter has resigned from the Jackson police.
Last week, a post on the Jackson Police Department's Facebook page drew outrage, including from advocates for victims of sexual assault.
The post on the department's Facebook blotter made light of an investigation of an alleged sexual assault of a minor. The department's Facebook blotter usually uses humor to share police matters with the public. But this time much of the public felt it went too far.
From our local police department Facebook page. Posted here for your review. pic.twitter.com/4hSTAjmVlT
— Emily Mieure (@emilymieure) August 18, 2020
Jackson Mayor Pete Muldoon said the community has the right to feel comfortable calling the police about anything and feel that their information is taken seriously. He said the town administrator's response to require training for all staff, which includes the police department, is the right first step but it's not enough.
"I think we need to do some pretty deep soul searching about what's going on with the culture at the police department because it's incredibly important to the council that our residents feel that they will be taken seriously when they call the police department," said Muldoon.
He said so far there has been no staff repercussions.
"The bigger picture is the culture and I don't think you resolve cultural issues by reprimanding or firing somebody or taking those kinds of personnel actions," said Muldoon. "They may be necessary to do, but I don't think it's sufficient."
Muldoon said he's not sure what the training will look like but it will be led by the diversity, equity and inclusion trainer. He said he hopes this will foster the kind of culture Jackson would like in its police department. The blotter has been discontinued.
Have a question about this story? Contact the reporter, Kamila Kudelska, at kkudelsk@uwyo.edu.
