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Our Police Must Stand Neutral They Work For US
- San Antonio, Texas police officers bucked rules against endorsing political candidates to show their love for Donald Trump recently.
- “The officers wearing the campaign hats while in uniform violated SAPD policy and will be disciplined appropriately. SAPD officers are charged with protecting the entire community,”
- The responses to the mayor’s post were a mixed bag of supportive and oppositional messages.
- “When Trump wins I hope they all wear the red hats,” Gabriel Martinez enthused.
San Antonio, Texas police officers bucked rules against endorsing political candidates to show their love for Donald Trump recently. A video tweeted from Trump’s Twitter account yesterday shows more than a dozen uniformed SAPD officers wearing particularly noticeable headgear: Trump campaign “Make America Great” hats. The officers, who are reportedly members of the motorcycle unit that led the Trump motorcade to San Antonio airport, now face possible disciplinary action for boosting the candidate during the hours they were on the clock as public servants.
“The officers wearing the campaign hats while in uniform violated SAPD policy and will be disciplined appropriately. SAPD officers are charged with protecting the entire community,” SAPD Chief William McManus wrote in a Twitter statement, which stopped short of indicating what punitive steps might be taken. “The officers displayed poor judgment. I expect them to know better than to give the appearance of endorsing a candidate while on duty and in uniform, regardless of the political campaign of the candidate.”
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San Antonio mayor Ivy Taylor—the first African American and only the second woman to hold the office—posted a message on Facebook expressing dismay at the officers’ actions.
“I am deeply disappointed by some of our SAPD officers' lack of judgement,” the message reads. “While on duty, police must be above politics with an obligation to serve everyone equally. Everything they do should send that message and today's actions did not.”
The responses to the mayor’s post were a mixed bag of supportive and oppositional messages.
“This is how riots have started in other cities,” Maggie Hurley Felicella wrote, a statement that is totally inconsistent with the truth. “I thought you were above this type of behavior. I am disappointed.”
“[W]hen Trump wins I hope they all wear the red hats,” Gabriel Martinez enthused.
“I love and support our Mayor. Regardless of what political side she is on, she is absolutely correct that our officers have a duty to remain professional in all situations while on the clock. I was in the military, and would have been in serious trouble had I been in uniform and acting this way,” Brandi Howell noted.
San Antonio Police Officers Association president Michael Helle issued a statement in which he largely dismissed the outrage over the officers’ attire. “Frankly, the officers were most likely caught up in the moment and did not consider the political nature of their actions,” he said, according to a local Fox affiliate.
Many cops have proven to be big supporters of Trump, with the nation’s largest police union, the Fraternal Order of Police, endorsing the GOP presidential candidate last month. The group has thrown its 330,000-member collective weight behind a candidate who has spent 16 months calling for the deportation of Mexicans, a ban on Muslim immigrants and encouraged violence against African-American protesters at his rallies. Days before the SAPD officers were seen wearing Trump campaign gear, leaked footage showed the GOP candidate discussing his favorite methods of sexually assaulting women, including “grab[bing] them by the pussy.”
18 Comments
Why stay neutral? Look what’s been happening with police all this time.Berry is not helping at all and giving a home grown terroris group the green light (black Iives matter). Nope there ok
Their job may be to protect everyone, but, they should be allowed to support anyone they chose.
only the great Trump
Because just like our military heroes having to serve under this current anti-american Marxist that usurped our White House, their “leaders” directly effect their own safety and rules of engagement and should be allowed to have a say in who they serve under.
They get paid to protect all the people not just the gop or republicans this is a line that should never be crossed. Separation of church and state these are state employees who need to keep their opinions while on duty to themselves
Because our Men and Women in Blue are under attack… Their lives are NOW targeted because of the Demoncraps Bias Lies and Racial provocations ..Police are people too and should have the right to express their views just like anyone else… If they were supporting Hitlery they would have been praised… This is a double sided coin and WE THE PEOPLE ARE FED UP WITH IT !!!!!!!! Freedom of Speech is a Right of every person in this country and that includes Police and Military !!!
Just because you are Police officer it doesn’t mean you lose your 1st. Amendment right of free speech when you put on a uniform.
If you disagree with a candidates “positions” and HITLERY is breaking every law she can because she is one of the “elites”, and believes she is “above the Law” I DO NOT Blame police officers for stepping up to point it out. (THAT folks is their JOB!)
Everyone has freedom of speech and are allowed to express their opinions, and who is for the right thing – Trump!
I think the police should be free to support what party they choose. Especially if one party is being represented by a criminal!!!
They are showing support for Trump because he is the “law and order” candidate. The cops know that the globalists want a UN police force. God only knows where that would take us. Vote for Trump!
Because they are public servants and must focuse on “preserve and protect.”
The police are being attached by the press,media, federal justice department and the so called President of the United States. They are asking for Americans to protect them from the Federal overreach.
This election season has made it abundantly clear that the Democratic nominee along with President Obama are not neutral and Are, unfortunately, anti police. They are pro BLM and really do not care for anything or anyone unless it will further their political careers.
THEY SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINION ESPECIALLY SINCE IT IS TO SHOW THEIR REPORT OF TRUMP.
These brave officers broke a rule; not a law….if they are willing to pay the consequences for their actions, they should be praised for their right as US citizens!!
Just because they are police dose not give anyone the right to tell them that they can not exercise their constitutional right of freedom of speech the right to show support for their beliefs and personnel convictions.
i agree only because the police should serve and protect everyone no matter what and or who they are, or what ever position they may hold, and no matter if you are for them or not your still a police officer.
Why should they stay neutral to a democratic candidate that tears them down time after time after time!