Saint John police instructed not to wear 'thin blue line' patch after controversy online
Saint John Police officers have been ordered to stop wearing 'thin blue line' patches while in uniform.
The directive was issued to members, and posted by the Saint John Police Force on its Twitter account Friday.
The force wasn't giving interviews on the topic Monday.
Photos have recently been posted to social media platforms showing city officers wearing the patch while in uniform.
The patch is controversial in many jurisdictions. Some believe it shows an 'us-versus-them' attitude amongst law enforcement while others believe it signifies solidarity between officers.
"There is pretty widespread consideration across the country and in the policing community that these were not appropriate symbols for conversations around repairing community relationships between the public and police," says David Hickey, a Saint John city councillor.
In October, the RCMP told its members they could no longer display the patch depicting a black and grey Canadian flag with blue stripe through it while on duty.
Some metropolitan police forces in Canada, including Ottawa and Victoria, have since banned the insignia, while others, including Montreal, are reviewing its use.
The Saint John chapter of Black Lives Matter is following the local discussion, and is disappointed the force didn't offer more in its directive.
"Are they going to seek an educational moment from this? Probably not," says Matthew Martin, president of Black Lives Matter Saint John.
"They took the easy way out of saying 'you're not allowed to wear it because its policy' rather than saying 'why do you want to wear these patches?"
The city's police union says it's also frustrated a longer explanation wasn't offered.
"It would've been nice if the force had provided some history or some reasoning of what the patch was," says Duane Squires, president of the Saint John Police Association. "The force's direction to our members was it's not an issued piece of equipment, you're not supposed to be wearing that and we understand that."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Testifying in hush money trial, adult film actor Stormy Daniels describes first meeting Trump
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential election 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
Katy Perry's mom was fooled by AI images of the singer at the Met Gala
Katy Perry did not attend the Met Gala on Monday, but some of the singer’s fans – and even her mom – thought she did.