At a time when most everyone in the Bay Area is required to wear face masks and coverings in public, masks worn by some San Francisco Police officers late last week are stirring up debate.
The masks were given to the officers by the San Francisco Police Officers Association and feature a "thin blue line" flag design, something that’s become a symbol of the Blue Lives Matter movement, along with a POA logo. The masks were first spotted when officers sent to patrol a May Day protest.
Some believe the design and logo make the masks political and problematic.
"Police officers in particular, because they exercise unique powers on behalf of all of us, need to be perceived as being completely neutral, taking actions based on law, not politics," Retired American Civil Liberties Union Lawyer John Crew said.
Crew told KCBS Radio the masks may even violate long-standing general department policy prohibiting political activity or displays by officers while on duty.
"For literally decades, the San Francisco Police Department, in their general rules of conduct general order, the most foundational, simple directive, says you can’t engage in political activity at work," Crew added. "That includes displaying any sort of political affiliation or symbol."
The "thin blue line" symbol is associated with the Blue Lives Matter movement, a display of unity among police officers in response to the national Black Lives Matter movement.
"Obviously the officers need masks and obviously it’s nice that the POA would make masks for them, but there was no reason for them to brand them with the POA’s logo and with the thin blue line’s flag," Crew said.
In a statement, Police Chief Bill Scott said he is working with the POA to provide the officers with neutral masks. Chief Scott added that the "thin blue line" itself was adopted decades ago as a symbol to honor fallen police officers.
In a statement to KCBS Radio, San Francisco Police Officers Association President Tony Montoya said "we absolutely reject any correlation between our face coverings and any group that promotes racism, hate or bigotry. It is a fact that extremist groups attempt to use well-known symbols to mainstream their repugnant ideas. We repudiate their beliefs and refuse to let them win."
The memo claims the POA "showed the masks to the Chief's command staff, many of whom asked for more than one, and none complained about them."
