The San Francisco Police Officers Association (SFPOA) has responded to Colin Kaepernick after the quarterback’s critical comments on police brutality Sunday.
In a letter addressed to 49ers owner Jed York and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, the SFPOA was furious with Kaepernick’s statements about the police, and won’t sweep their concerns under the rug.
TMZ Sports was the first source to obtain the letter.
“While we certainly acknowledge Mr. Kaepernick’s first amendment right to remain seated during the National Anthem, as inappropriate as that may be, we will not stand by while he attacks police officers in this country with such statements as, ‘People are on paid leave while people of color are killed.’
“Not only does he show an incredible lack of knowledge regarding our profession and “officer involved” shootings, but also shows a naivety and total lack of sensitivity towards police officers. Ironically it is those officers who have on numerous occasions protected Mr. Kaepernick and have ensured that the venues where the NFL holds its events are fully protected.”
Here are a two excerpts from Kaepernick in the locker room on Sunday on police officers.
“There’s a lot of things that need to change. One specifically? Police brutality. There’s people being murdered unjustly and not being held accountable. People are being given paid leave for killing people. That’s not right. That’s not right by anyone’s standards.
“There is police brutality. People of color have been targeted by police. So that’s a large part of it and they’re government officials. They are put in place by the government. So that’s something that this country has to change. There’s things we can do to hold them more accountable. Make those standards higher. You have people that practice law and are lawyers and go to school for eight years, but you can become a cop in six months and don’t have to have the same amount of training as a cosmetologist. That’s insane. Someone that’s holding a curling iron has more education and more training than people that have a gun and are going out on the street to protect us.”
SFPOA President Martin Halloran penned the letter and demanded that the 49ers denounce his statements. The union represents more than 2,000 police officers in the city.
“In short, Mr. Kaepernick has embarrassed himself, the 49er organization, and the NFL based on the false narrative and misinformation that lacks any factual basis.”
