'Thin blue line' stickers snatched from Tacoma police cars after public criticism

TACOMA - Many people have seen a certain symbol connected to law enforcement in several forms—a black and white American flag with a thin blue stripe across the middle. The Tacoma Police Department has decided to remove that symbol from its entire fleet.

The “thin blue line” stickers have been on Tacoma Police cars for years. Police Chief Don Ramsdell directed all of them be removed in June and replaced with an American flag. This is after the department said members of the community were very vocal about the symbol representing division.

Those in favor of the thin blue line, like Noel Greany, said they disagree.

“The thin blue line is just basically supporting fallen officers. No different than a thin red line for fire fighters, a thin gold line for dispatchers, a thin grey line for corrections, a thin green line for military,” Greany.

Greany, creator of Flags to Remember, has created thin blue line flags and art for fallen officers across the country. He said the thin blue line is a symbol of support and a tribute to law enforcement.

“We just want to show that, there again, we care,” said Greany.

Not everyone sees the symbol in a positive way. The thin blue line has stirred up controversy, as it has also been associated with white nationalists and the Blue Lives Matter movement. The Tacoma Urban League, an organization fighting for social justice, said the symbol represents division.

“How many times does the community have to say this so disrespectful and divisive and has a racist history? Like, how many times does the community have to communicate that before we are not seeing this line used our public servants, people we give our tax dollars to?” said T’Wina Nobles, president and CEO of the Tacoma Urban League.

The Tacoma Police Department said it is mindful any symbol can cause division and controversy between officers and the public. It’s one reason why the police chief decided to get rid of the thin blue line stickers from officers’ patrol cars as they continue striving for an inclusive environment.

“By listening and responding to our community, while honoring our country and those who have fallen in its defense, my goal with this change is to further our mission of creating a safe and secure environment in Tacoma,” wrote Ramsdell, in a statement.

“The message is ‘it’s us versus them.’ And regardless of the intent, the community is saying when we see that thin blue line it doesn’t make us feel like our public safety officers police officers, our tax dollars are necessarily representing us,” said Nobles. “I think for the chief to say, ‘That’s not the intent but if that’s the impact that it’s making we don’t want to be a part of that’—that’s a good call, that’s a good move.”

“I think that it’s wrong to do. It’s just a simple symbol. It has nothing to do with Blue Lives Matter,” said Greany. “There’s a lot of other people that can look at that symbol and go, yeah, that’s the symbol of someone that cares for husbands, fathers, sins, daughters, everything. It’s not anything negative, it never has been.”

The department says it’s looking at other graphic options to pay tribute to fallen officers.