Los Angeles-area police unions are calling out attempts to hijack the phrase and symbol “thin blue line” for hate and intolerance.
LA Police Unions Decry Use of "Thin Blue Line" Symbols by Hate Groups
Los Angeles-area police unions are calling out attempts to hijack the phrase and symbol “thin blue line” for hate and intolerance.
August 31, 2017
1 min to read
The Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs (ALADS) in a statement on Monday joined with the United Coalition of Public Safety (UCOPS) to denounce extremists, the Daily News reports.
“I’ve seen photos, and I’m seeing it on television through the news,” said Robert Sass, vice president for ALADS and a deputy for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. “Some of the hate groups are draping themselves in the flag. Some are carrying flags. Those flags refer to the ‘thin blue line’ that police officers use to symbolize police work. It’s something that’s been around for quite awhile and is used by police officers.”
A “thin blue line” symbol was created to allow the community to show support for law enforcement, and those attempting to hijack the symbol for their own purposes (“hate groups such as the neo-Nazis, White Supremacists or the KKK”) are “despicable and most certainly do not represent the values for which that symbol stands,” the joint statement said.
More Patrol
Top 10 POLICE Videos of 2025
What were the top videos published by POLICE in 2025? Many covered tactics and officer safety, while others came from booth visits at IACP in Denver, Colorado. In case you missed these, here are the top 10 videos.
Read More →
Flock Safety and Coreforce Partner to Enhance Real-Time Awareness and Operational Efficiency for Law Enforcement
A new integration partnership will enable Flock Safety hotlist alerts and license plate recognition (LPR) searches directly in Coreforce’s Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC) and Digital Evidence Management System (DEMS) platform.
Read More →
Ballistic Armor Co. Secures Strategic Investment to Expand U.S. Production Capabilities
Ballistic Armor Co. secured a new commitment that will accelerate its multi-year transition from a third-party tactical equipment retailer to a premium innovator and U.S. manufacturer of advanced protective systems.
Read More →
Police & Fire Championships Expands Athlete Eligibility
The US Police & Fire Championships is now open to all employees – sworn, civilian, administrative, technical, and support staff – who work directly for an eligible public safety agency.
Read More →
Tips for Watching the Hands
How can officers better “watch the hands”? Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association, shares some tips.
Read More →
10 Tips for Felony/High-Risk Stops
What steps can officers take to stay safer during felony or high-risk vehicle stops? Here are 10 tips from Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association.
Read More →
Amped Highlights Power Behind Amped FIVE Software
Amped FIVE empowers you to advance your investigations with confidence and precision, from the crime scene all the way to the courtroom.
Read More →
Police K-9 Killed, Suspect Dies in Shootout with Cops
A Burbank Police Department K-9 was fatally shot over the weekend by a passenger who fled on foot from a traffic stop. The armed suspect was killed in a shootout with officers.
Read More →
From the Show Floor: InVeris
In this video, learn about how InVeris provides training to law enforcement, including customized augmented reality scenarios. The augmented reality system can scan up to 10,000 square feet of real-life environments and create a curriculum based on those spaces.
Read More →
From the Show Floor: Polaris Government & Defense
Learn about Polaris Government & Defense in this video as POLICE visits their show booth to discover their side-by-sides and the advantages they provide for agencies.
Read More →