The plan was to boost the NYPD’s image, as its social media team thought people would tweet them with pictures of themselves with happy cops.

However, it backfired when users decided to show a decidedly-more realistic side of the NYPD.

Pictures of police slamming people down onto car bonnets, attacking protesters and pinning people to the ground started to emerge as angry Twitter users revealed how their brushes with the law had left a lasting impression.

The NYPD, who were probably fairly embarrassed at this point, issued a statement to save face.

“The NYPD is creating new ways to communicate effectively with the community. Twitter provides an open forum for an uncensored exchange and this is an open dialogue good for our city,” was its response to the campaign’s unforeseen turn.

Image via Getty