Officers Reprimanded For Taking A Knee In Photo
CHICAGO (CBS4) - The Chicago Police Department has reprimanded two of its officers after they took a knee in a photo.
A picture posted on social media shows two officers in uniform going down on a knee with fists in the air, similar to what NFL players did this last weekend in response to President Donald Trump's remarks about how they should be fired for kneeling during the national anthem.
The woman photographed with the officers is community activist Aleta Clark, who posted the picture to Instagram.
She said she walked into the Gresham District police station and asked the officers there if they were against police brutality and racism, and if they stood with former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who started the protests last year, according to CBS Chicago.
Both officers said yes, and agreed to take a knee with Clark.
RELATED: Tillman's Widow: Don't Politicize Pat In Effort To Divide
Chicago Police spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said both officers were reprimanded because department policy prohibits them in engaging "in any type of political activity" while they are in uniform.
"I think that what they did was heroic," Clark said. "I don't think that anything that these brothers did - that these officers did on duty inside of the police station - was wrong."
The district's commander is handling the matter, and no other penalties against the officers are expected.
"We are aware of the photo, and we will address it in the same way we have handled previous incidents in which officers have made political statements while in uniform, with a reprimand and a reminder of department policies," CPD said in an official statement.
