Medley Police Department Apologizes Participant In Safari-Themed Fashion Show Dressed In Blackface

MEDLEY (CBSMiami) – The mayor of Medley and the town's police department have come under fire after pictures of their annual fashion show for seniors showed an elderly man dressed in blackface.

Blackface has been a major issue recently – just ask Canada's Prime Minster Justin Trudeau.

Several pictures of Trudeau in blackface from his younger years surfaced and got him into trouble with Canadian voters.

The Canadian prime minister was very apologetic.

"This is obviously something I deeply regret. I never should have done it," he said.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam was also embroiled in a blackface controversy.

An old medical school yearbook showed one person in blackface and another in a KKK costume.

Northam initially apologized for being in the pic, but then backtracked.

So it comes as no surprise that when pictures from the 2019 Medley Seniors Fashion Show surfaced online with a 78-year-old participant dressed in blackface, the local NAACP was disturbed.

"Yes, I did see these images. I feel they are disturbing because they promote cultural insensitivity," said Harold Ford.

The Medley Police Department, which sponsors the annual event, released the following statement:

"The Medley Police Department has been running our Senior Fashion Show for 19 years.  This event brings our senior citizens together to promote community and have a good time.  This year's theme was an African Safari, and unfortunately, a 78-year-old participant dressed inappropriately and clearly did not understand how others might be offended.  For this, we apologize and regret the incident."

Ford said people need to think real hard before wearing culturally insensitive costumes.

"Miami and South Florida is a melting pot. We're gonna have people and individuals from all different cultures and different creeds," he said. "So we have to respectful and be mindful of not just what's going on now but what has happened in the past and what we have all traversed through."

CBS4's Hank Tester reached out Medley Mayor Roberto Martell, but he was told the mayor was out of town.