A photo from the 1990s of the interim Philadelphia Police Commissioner depicts Christine M. Coulter wearing a shirt with an insulting slogan aimed at police brutality victim Rodney King.   

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports the photo was taken while Coulter was at the New Jersey Shore. King was brutally beaten by police officers in 1991, sparking an uprising regarding underlying racial tension.

“I never even thought of it as anything other than an L.A.P.D. shirt,” she said Friday in a statement.

Coulter wore a shirt emblazoned with the slogan: “L.A.P.D. We Treat You Like a King.”

Controversy stemming from the resurfaced photo hinged on the possibility the slogan referred to the victim of the videotaped incident of police brutality. 

“It may have meant something to people in L.A.,” she said, later adding: “I can’t remember giving it a thought. But I certainly can’t say I thought it meant Rodney King."

Coulter was appointed acting commissioner after the abrupt resignation of former Commissioner Richard Ross. According to ABC 6 News, Ross resigned last month following reports that he may have retaliated against a woman who accused him of sexual misconduct. The former deputy-turned-interim commissioner has served in patrol, narcotics intelligence, investigations and special patrol over the course of 30 years.

Coulter did not come into the role without a troubling history of her own.

Billy Penn reports that during her time as a sergeant, Coulter allegedly aided in a cover-up for a police beating that resulted in truck driver Moises DeJesus' death. She was given a 10-day suspension for her alleged role but that was later revoked. 

The t-shirt controversy has already put Coulter's time as commissioner in disarray. She is the first woman to head the department. The Inquirer reports the photo was taken sometime in 1994 during a gathering with other police officers. Originally, the shirt was printed and sold around the time after the publicized beating. 

“I’m very frustrated that someone wanted to take what’s arguably a picture of me and two old friends and turn it into something, you know, ugly or mean-spirited,” Coulter said.

In the past couple of months, the department has been rocked by ongoing incidents of racial, social media misconduct. About 72 officers were placed on desk duty due to their derogatory comments on Facebook and other sites.