Kentucky State Police tweet rape joke tied to the Super Bowl

UPDATE: Kentucky State Police apologize for controversial Twitter joke about rape in statement. It has been included below.

Kentucky State Police made a joke Sunday about anal rape in an anti-drunk driving tweet tied to the Super Bowl.

"Enjoy watching Rob Gronkowski (TE) play but if you drink & drive ... your tight end may end up in jail!" the tweet said.

Attached was a slow-motion gif of a bar of soap hitting the ground.

The implication is "don't drop the soap," a crude reference to an inmate making himself vulnerable to anal rape.

Bernis Napier, a Kentucky State Police spokesman, said he did not have a comment. The account has more than 50,000 followers.

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The tweet was deleted shortly after Courier Journal called for a comment about it. KSP then issued the following statement:

“The Kentucky State Police apologizes for the inappropriate tweet that appeared on our Twitter feed earlier tonight," the statement said. "Making light of sexual assault is never acceptable, and we apologize for the distress this tweet caused, particularly to the victims of these heinous crimes. KSP is committed to protecting against sexual assault and fighting for justice for victims. This tweet – made by an individual employee – does not represent KSP or our mission.”

In a letter to the commissioner of the Department of Corrections dated Sept. of 2017, KSP Maj. Fred Williams said their agency is trained to investigate instances of rape in their facilities.

“The Kentucky State Police investigates allegations of criminal sexual abuse when requested by Kentucky Department of Corrections facilities," the memo said. "All KSP troopers receive training in sexual abuse investigations during basic training at the State Police Academy... ”

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Allegations of rape in prisons are passed on to the facility staff, then later to KSP if they are criminal in nature, according to the Prison Rape Elimination Act.

Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Grimes posted to Twitter in response KSP's post.

"Rape & sexual assault are not joking matters. Citizens expect & deserve better law enforcement," Grimes said in the tweet. "An apology to victims everywhere from @kystatepolice is needed."

Thomas Novelly: 502-582-4465; tnovelly@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @TomNovelly. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/tomn.