The Johns Creek Police Department announced Tuesday that it is ditching its traditional uniforms in favor of a bold new look — hot pink.
The department posted the announcement on Facebook, citing “months of internal discussion” and claiming the “high visibility design” would help officers be seen during traffic enforcement and community events. The post added that “brighter colors increase recognition and approachability, particularly during school zone enforcement and special events.”
The catch: It was an April Fool’s Day joke.
What happened: The department’s Facebook post, published April 1, was dressed up in the language of a real policy announcement — complete with references to “ongoing commitment to innovation and modernization” and a promise to “roll out the new uniforms department wide.” The only thing missing was an actual pink uniform.
What’s important: The post did not include a disclaimer, leaving residents to figure out on their own that their local officers were not, in fact, about to start patrolling Johns Creek in bubblegum-colored gear.
The big picture: Law enforcement agencies across the country have leaned into April Fool’s Day in recent years as a way to show a lighter side to their communities. The Johns Creek post closed with the department’s standard reassurance: “While the color may be new, our professionalism, standards, and service to this community remain the same.” Blue, it turns out, is still very much the color.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
