Some upset with Nextdoor after Constable's Office post about giving to kids removed

A social media post about local law enforcement making a donation to a school group has now been removed, leaving some scratching their heads. So why did Nextdoor delete it? Well, we went looking for answers.      

When you see the photo of a deputy posing with kids after giving the group a donation you might think it’s the type of social media post that would draw likes, shares, and heartwarming comments but the folks at Nextdoor had a different take on it.

"It makes zero sense. It’s almost like unbelievable," says Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman.

The picture was snapped after Constable Herman made a $500 donation to the Klein Cain High School Cheer Squad and the deputy who delivered it posed with the girls.

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"It was a positive thing. Once we saw it posted we were excited to see it on Facebook, on social media. We were in the limelight," smiles Adelfa Peralta whose daughter is in the picture. Peralta says the group was devastated when the post and the photo were removed from Precinct 4’s page on Nextdoor.com.

"It’s clear community engagement between law enforcement and our kids," explains Constable Herman.

"The kids need to see the positivity on social media. It was just disappointing," adds Peralta.

"Why would a big tech company like Nextdoor want to stop law enforcement from engaging with our youth? I mean that really bothers me," says the constable. 

The response Constable Herman received from Nextdoor regarding the removal says in part, the post was removed because it "is in violation of the guidelines ... on campaigning."

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This dismayed mom points out it isn’t campaign season, Constable Herman was just re-elected in November 2020 to another four-year term and she says the constable connects with and donates to the community often. Peralta says that connection should be seen publicly, particularly now in our country.

"It makes no sense at all. I think it’s important to see law enforcement involved in the community. Mark Herman has done that."

"It’s a togetherness deal and it seems very divisive what Nextdoor has done and I say Nextdoor, what Amanda with Nextdoor has done," says Constable Herman. The Constable says his message regarding the removed post came from someone at Nextdoor named Amanda but he has reached out to the company to see if this is some sort of mistake. 

After FOX 26 contacted Nextdoor, support for the company told us they can’t reveal specifics about another member’s account. We are still waiting to hear back from Nextdoor’s media representative.

The Constable says depending on the final word, his next call may be to lawmakers "to try to pass legislation to ensure Texas law enforcement can stay in touch with the community and post about it".