Massachusetts

Massachusetts police chief apologizes after officer searched middle school for LGBTQ book

A plainclothes officer with the Great Barrington Police Department reportedly visited the school to look for the book after the department received a complaint about "concerning illustrations"

The "Gender Queer" book
H. Rick Bamman/Pioneer Press/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

A Massachusetts police chief apologized after an officer searched a middle school for a copy of "Gender Queer: A Memoir," an illustrated book on gender identity that has been banned in other districts.

The incident occurred on Dec. 8 at W.E.B. Du Bois Regional Middle School. A plainclothes officer with the Great Barrington Police Department visited this school to look for the book after the department received a complaint about "concerning illustrations," Boston.com reported.

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The complainant allegedly provided police with an image that showed illustrated characters performing sexual acts, according to the news outlet.

The police department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.

Police Chief Paul Storti told Boston.com that because the complaint was made to the department, they were "obligated and have a duty to examine the complaint further."

Read the full story here on NBCNews.com.

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