The chief of the San Francisco Police Department ordered his officers not to wear a pro-law-enforcement symbol on their face masks while on duty.
The “thin blue line” image was barred by Chief Bill Scott, according to recent emails obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle. Scott sent the email in response to several photographs showing officers wearing black masks depicting the “thin blue line” flag while working on Friday.
SFPD is forcibly removing occupancts and threatening to arrest supporters of #RECLAIMSF without a court order to evict or the deed to the house being provided by any owner. This is an illegal and inhumane operation. FTP and HOMES FOR ALL. pic.twitter.com/FnZQBrdWyp
— The Village, Oakland (@VillageOakland) May 1, 2020
Scott acknowledged that the symbol was “a meaningful expression to honor fallen officers” in his eyes and for many in the department. However, he said that many find the symbol to be “divisive and disrespectful.”
The chief requested that officers wear “neutral” face coverings while on duty. He noted that the department would be providing personal protective equipment to officers soon and said they will no longer be allowed to wear any other face coverings once the department is supplied.
The San Francisco Police Department union distributed many of the now-banned masks to members. The face masks included a black-and-white image of the American flag with a blue bar in the center, which is used by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial to honor fallen officers.
The “thin blue line” symbol gained popularity outside of the law enforcement community during the Black Lives Matter movement and has been considered a political statement by some since then.
