The San Antonio police chief says he will punish a dozen of his officers for wearing Trump campaign hats.
On Tuesday the Trump campaign posted this video of San Antonio police officers with the presidential candidate donning his “make America great again” hats.
At the end of the clip it reads “we will make America great and safe again together.”
Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas Executive Director Charley Wilkison says the officers violated protocol.
“They shouldn’t have done it. A few seconds after they put on those caps they had to know,” said Wilkison. “When you raise your right hand and you put on that uniform it comes with the totality of what you’ve sworn to do is protect the community. Not being politicized is a part of that.”
Within four hours of when the video appeared on Twitter, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus posted a statement in response. He said the officers would be disciplined and should’ve known better than to give the appearance of endorsing a candidate while on duty and in uniform.
Texas Municipal Police Association Executive Director Kevin Lawrence says what the officers did was innocent.
“I don’t think it’s a political statement by the officers. I think these officers were assigned to a security detail for a celebrity and they went and did their duties as they were assigned and in the process the celebrity gave them some paraphernalia, some hats,” said Lawrence. “I think if this had been Beyoncé or Russel Crowe or some other celebrity and they had given the officers something the officers would’ve done the exact same thing. They were caught up protecting a celebrity. They weren’t protecting a republican or a democrat.”