An Oklahoma police department is facing backlash after advertising a local blood drive with social media posts that employed gang slang and racist stereotypes, per Atlanta Black Star.
In a now-deleted Facebook post, the Owasso Police Department shared an image of white hands forming the Bloods gang sign, captioning it “BLUD! Give it up! We need blood to help OBI’s emergency stock… Stabbed – No. JABBED – Yea.” A second deleted post featured a group of animated Black men from South Park wearing red gang attire.
“Whut up bluuud! We need it! Owasso Community Blood Drive. We won’t ‘jump you in’, it’s just a little jab,” the caption read.
The posts sparked backlash from community members, religious leaders, and advocacy groups.
The Owasso Police Department In Oklahoma Scrubs Social Media Posts Featuring Racial Stereotypes About Black People Prior To Advertising Blood Drive https://t.co/Zf8bcrNriQ pic.twitter.com/YfurAMVXIM
— NewsToter (@NewsToter) July 31, 2025
Pastor Chaz Glover of Tulsa’s Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church called the posts “deeply racist, offensive, and utterly disgraceful.”
“That post wasn’t a mistake or a joke — it was a reminder of the ugly truth: racism is still alive, embedded in systems of power, and still being defended in plain sight,” Glover said.
“You’re especially targeting people of color. And you think it’s a funny joke. It’s insensitive, disrespectful, and just not classy,” Owasso resident Sultana Xiong said. “Especially with our mayor being African-American, I would think there would be some type of public apology and accountability.”
Owasso police initially shared an apology, claiming they “apparently offended a few people,” but later deleted it. Days later, the City of Owasso released a statement addressing the racist social media posts.
“The posts made on the Owasso Police Department’s social media account do not represent the culture and values of the City of Owasso or the Owasso Police Department. There will be an investigation into this incident, and accountability will be sought for any employee who violates our standards of conduct, particularly in this matter,” the statement reads.
Community advocate Dr. Tamecca Rogers said the incident has damaged public trust. “Once we try to rebuild this trust, and you continue to put images out there and stereotype us… we can’t trust you.”
Our Blood Institute, which co-hosted the blood drive, also released a statement, saying it “was not involved in the creation of the social media post.”
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