The Massachusetts State Police’s public relations efforts went into overdrive last week after a photo surfaced online showing one of their cruisers sporting a curious choice for a bumper sticker — one that read “RACIAL PROFILING SAVES LIVES.’’

The photo, taken in Boston by Chris Kantos and uploaded onto his Twitter account, asked State Police to help him “comprehend’’ why it was there in the first place:

Can anyone help me comprehend this @MassStatePolice bumper parked in Boston? Vandalism I hope? cc: @MassGovernor pic.twitter.com/Gm5XNtFRA1 — Chris Kantos (@chriskantos) August 25, 2014

State Police responded a few hours later with a photo of the cruiser in question, but without the bumper sticker. State Police’s explanation at the time was that Kantos’ photo had been manipulated. A “#photoshopfail,’’ as they called it:


But after denying the existence of the bumper sticker, State Police have now done a complete 180, reported The Boston Globe. “Further investigation’’ found that a vandal must have placed the sticker on the cruiser’s bumper, verifying Kantos’ hopeful suspicion.

The trooper assigned to the cruiser saw the sticker and pulled it off right away, according to David Procopio, a spokesman for the State Police. The trooper then notified his supervisor.

It is unclear how long the cruiser was driving around with the sticker.