Florida police union asks officers to stop escorting Dolphins players until they stop kneeling during the national anthem
The International Union of Police Associations, Local 6020 in Miami has asked the Broward County Sheriff's office in Florida to stop escorting Miami Dolphins players because of their national anthem protests, according to the Miami Herald.
After several Dolphins players kneeled during the national anthem during Week 1 of the NFL season (and during Week 2 in New England), the union is asking deputies to not escort players for the Dolphins' home-opener in Miami during Week 3.
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Jeffery Bell, the president of the International Union of Police Associations, Local 6020, said, "We've asked the deputies and the Broward Sheriff's Office not to do the details anymore."
Bell continued, saying:
"I respect their right to have freedom of speech. However, in certain organizations and certain jobs you give up that right of your freedom of speech temporary while you serve that job or while you play in an NFL game."
"I can only imagine the public outcry if a group of police officers refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance or if we turned our back for the American flag for the national anthem. There would be a public outcry and internal affairs complaints a mile long on that."
NFL PLAYERS PROTEST THE NATIONAL ANTHEM:
According to the Herald, the Miami-Dade police responded saying they had "contractual obligations" to provide security to the stadium, namely visitors and residents.
This isn't the first outcry from police unions over NFL players' national anthem protests. The San Francisco police union reportedly threatened to stop working games, but thus far, haven't appeared to follow through on it.
