SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott sent an internal email to officers on Friday, which said, “Thin Blue Line masks shall not be worn by our on-duty members,” according to KTVU.
The news organization said it received a copy of the memo confirming the directive.
San Francisco police were out in full force Friday afternoon to respond to people who were blocking the roadway and to housing-rights activists who took over a vacant property in the Castro District.
As a result, many officers were wearing masks designed to look like the Thin Blue Line flag. Amazingly, people in the press as well as police antagonists claim it’s a controversial symbol since it is associated with the pro-police Blue Lives Matter movement.
In his email, Scott says the “symbolism on some of our officers’ face masks may be perceived as divisive or disrespectful.”
Even while issuing this directive, Chief Scott acknowledged the symbol dates back three decades and was adopted by the National Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial calling it a, “meaningful expression to honor fallen officers.”
Scott said he’s taking immediate steps, along with officers and the Police Officers Association, to provide alternative, neutral personal protective equipment amid the coronavirus pandemic. As soon as the PPE is made available, wearing the Thin Blue Line masks will not be allowed.
Examiner published Supervisor Shamann Walton’s criticism of the masks, likening them as something you’d see in the U.S. South.
The police symbol has been criticized as a retort to the Black Lives Matter movement that took off more than six years ago.
Scott said the symbol may be perceived as ‘divisive or disrespectful.’
— Evan Sernoffsky (@EvanSernoffsky) May 2, 2020
In the same email, Scott acknowledged that the symbol was “adopted more than three decades ago as symbolism for the National Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial…” And is a “meaningful expression to honor fallen police officers.”
— Evan Sernoffsky (@EvanSernoffsky) May 2, 2020
The email is likely a response to SF Supervisor @shamannwalton’s comments to the @sfexaminer, saying the masks look “like something you see below the Mason Dixon Line.” https://t.co/549FHeIRa4
— Evan Sernoffsky (@EvanSernoffsky) May 2, 2020
Randy Sutton recently posted a spot-on response to this nonsense:
Oh golly Chief, we can’t possibly support our Officers who (wear) that horrible offense Blue Line Flag design on their face masks, now can we?
The San Francisco Police Chief is yet another example spineless Police “leadership” who would rather bully his cops than support them. Almost 100 Law Enforcement Officers have (died) from this virus and the “Thin Blue Line Flag” was created to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Because a bunch of radicals want to pretend it’s a “racist” flag does not alter the truth but this Chief doesn’t have the guts to stand up for his cops. Pathetic. Randy Sutton
Bingo! The staff at Law Officer could not agree more!