LAPD chief bans public displays of ‘thin blue line’ flag


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Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore has banned the display of the “thin blue line” flag at public events and station lobbies.

The mandate, issued Saturday, comes in response to the flag’s divisive symbolism — some believe it represents support for law enforcement, while others say it’s become a symbol of far-right ideology and white supremacism.

“While I do not personally view the ‘Thin Blue Line Flag’ in the same manner as the community member and others, its display in our public lobbies can be divisive,” Moore said in part of a statement issued to NewsNation affiliate KTLA.

Jerry Rodriguez, a former LAPD captain and former deputy commissioner for the Baltimore Police Department called the move “unfortunate.”

“Things like this where the officers, the rank and file, the unions believe that it is a further demonstration of their lack of support could have a negative impact on morale, productivity, and that relates right to the crime surge,” he said on an appearance on Morning in America on Monday.

The flag in question is a black-and-white colored U.S. flag with a single blue stripe in the middle.