Police Drop Decal Company After Owner’s Racist, Homophobic Posts

BATAVIA, IL — A Batavia businessman is set to lose a large chunk of his clientele, with police departments around the area cutting their ties with him over his racist social media commentary.

Until recently, Jake Zaagman, who works under the business name “Jake The Striper,” provided decals more than 200,000 police vehicles from dozens of departments, according to a report by CBS 2.

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Zaagman lost his contract with the Batavia Police Department in June after residents made officials aware of Zaagman’s online posts.

John Kettering said he took screenshots of Zaagman’s posts and notified police departments and cities who spent tax dollars on his services, the report states. Batavia police announced they would no longer use Zaagman within an hour of Kettering sending the screenshots, and the sheriffs of Cook and Fulton counties have followed suit in recent weeks, according to the report.

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In a statement June 18, Batavia police said Zaagman’s posts "can only be described as racist, homophobic, anti-Semitic and otherwise appalling in nature."

Screenshots from his personal page and public groups for Batavia residents show he shared numerous offensive posts, including some comparing Black people to monkeys and animals, and others in support of the Confederate flag — including one that says "the queer flag offends me."

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Zaagman also shared a photo showing a vehicle with stickers that read "anti-Semetic" (sic) and "misogynist" along with a license plate that read "IBWHITE." Zaagman called it the "BEST license plate yet."

On his personal page, Zaagman he shared a photo with the comment "This is how you get SHOT in the back while running & shooting at the POLICE!!! JUSTIFIED !!!"

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The post, shared just before the Batavia Police Department released its statement, was seemingly in reference to fired Atlanta police officer Garrett Rolfe, who was charged with murder after shooting Rayshard Brooks on June 12 as he ran away with an officer's Taser. Zaagman deleted that post from his page shortly after being contacted by Patch in June.

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The office of Fulton County Sheriff Jeff Standard cut its ties with Zaagman in June after learning of his posts.

“These social media posts do not align with the philosophy or mission statement of the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office,” officials said in a statement posted on Facebook. “This office will not knowingly associate with individuals that promote hate.”

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CBS 2 reported they reached out to many police departments that previously worked with Zaagman — including the Chicago Police Department — and each said they will not use him in the future.

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