LOS ANGELES >> Officials said an electronic sign near the University of Southern California was briefly hacked and its message replaced with a derogatory message about the Los Angeles Police Department.

USC public safety chief John Thomas emailed the Los Angeles Times (http://lat.ms/151qHs0 ) and said it was a single electronic sign belonging to the school and used by them and LAPD to put out crime prevention tips.

Pictures of the crude message on the hacked electronic sign were posted on Twitter and Instagram.