The Taichung City Police Department is recalling thousands of traffic safety posters after a city resident noticed that they depict what appeared to be a Chinese police officer.
The department six months ago commissioned a designer to create the posters, but did not notice the error until it was pointed out by the resident earlier this month, it said.
The department would investigate those responsible for the oversight and update the public on its actions this week, it said, adding that a committee would be formed to inspect all public documents produced by the department before they are released to the public.
Photo: Chang Jui-chen, Taipei Times
The posters, which were intended to teach children how to safely cross the road, bears cartoon images of two children and a female police officer, along with the message: “Please use the crosswalk. Do not contravene traffic laws when crossing the road.”
The officer is depicted wearing the white enlisted service bucket hat, neon yellow vest and light-blue shirt worn by Chinese police officers.
The resident brought the issue to the attention of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) City Councilor Chang Yao-chung (張耀中), who quoted them as asking: “Have we become ‘Taichung, China,’ or is the Chinese police force now stationed in our city?”
Photo: Huang Liang-chieh, Taipei Times
The department should find out who is responsible for the error, as well as whether it was intentional or a simple oversight, he said, adding: “There are plenty of images of Taiwanese police officers that could have been used.”
That the department did not notice the error when it received the poster from the designer also shows a great level of carelessness on its part, he said.
The city often contracts out the design and publication of public notices, and it has regularly failed to oversee the work, DPP Taichung City Councilor Chiu Su-chen (邱素貞) said.
The city should review its procedures to avoid wasting public resources and harming its image, she said.
The department is recalling the posters due to the controversy, but they do not contain any Chinese flags or other references to China, department traffic division Deputy Captain Lin Cheng-che (林鉦哲) said.
The mistake was caused by the designer accidentally downloading the wrong image from the Internet, he said, adding that the uniforms of female police officers used worldwide are similar.
The department spent NT$5,300 on 5,000 posters, he said.
Separately on Sunday, the Kaohsiung Police Department reprimanded the officers responsible for allowing a traffic safety pamphlet containing the Chinese flag to be released to the public.
The officers received demerits and demotions, the department said, adding that it has asked the contracted designer to correct the design and reprint the pamphlets.
The department in August last year contracted the designer to create 18,000 pamphlets for NT$0.3 per piece, it said.
The department distributed the pamphlets to passersby on the streets over the course of the Lunar New Year holiday last month, it said, adding that it did not notice the error until a resident brought it to its attention on Sunday.
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