Police await direction on use of `Thin Blue Line' patch
Saskatoon police are expecting the Saskatchewan Police Commission — the provincial body that sets standards for police in the province — to provide further direction on what symbols are approved to be worn on police uniforms, including `Thin Blue Line' patches.
Until something is approved, the patch isn't compliant with police policies, said Saskatoon Police Chief Troy Cooper.
“What they have told us is that the `Thin Blue Line' patch is not part of the approved uniform, so therefore it would be inappropriate for officers in Saskatchewan to wear that, municipal police officers to wear that,” he said in an interview.
Police presented a report to the Saskatoon board of police commissioners on Thursday addressing the `Thin Blue Line' patch.
Chiefs of police, under provincial regulations and legislation, can authorize an officer to wear a symbol of their heritage on their uniform, or the Saskatchewan or Canadian flag.
In January, the board approved a motion to seek a report from police after commissioners discussed an email from a citizen concerned about the message that could be sent by on-duty members wearing the patch.
The report traces the symbol back to the 1950s, when it was used to represent courage and sacrifice while protecting the public, but it found the symbol has more recently been “co-opted” by extremist groups for their own protests or movements.
Other symbols, such as pink shirts for anti-bullying awareness, are also not reflected in the policies. However, “the wearing of these symbols has not typically drawn any negative reaction from most people,” the report noted.
“We expect to see some further direction from the (Saskatchewan Police) Commission on all of that, sort of in context with what a police uniform in Saskatchewan should look like as more of a broad discussion taking place,” Cooper said.
He said police leadership has been speaking with front-line staff about the patch since January, including about its meaning and feedback from the community. Police are waiting to see what the SPC says before policy can be developed more firmly.
The board approved a motion to receive the report as information.
Vice-chair Kearney Healy said the board wants to make sure symbols on officers' uniforms give the clearest and best possible expression of wanting to create a culture of community safety, and board members wondered how the `Thin Blue Line' would fit into this.
“As it turns out, we found out that we don't have the authority to either authorize it or deny it at this point,” he said.
Healy commended Deputy Chief Mitch Yuzdepski, who in the process of preparing the report spoke to different policing bodies and agencies and to community groups about the symbol. Healy said the board is pleased this was an opportunity for community engagement.