Members of the Santa Clara Police Union penned a letter to the 49ers, threatening to pull their officers from any games that Kaepernick participates in unless they do something about him. The 49ers could hire police from other jurisdictions but how likely is that? The either hate Kaepernick or they won’t want to anger Santa Clara police.
Colin Kaepernick’s decision to sit during the national anthem in protest of racial injustice and police brutality, as well as his critical words directed at officers across the nation, have the Santa Clara police union saying its officers might stop working San Francisco 49ers home games.
NBC Bay Area obtained a letter, penned by union members, to the San Francisco 49ers stating that if the organization does not take action against Kaepernick, “it could result in police officers choosing not to work at your facilities.”
The Santa Clara Police Department is the lead police agency at Levi’s Stadium. During 49er games, around 70 officers volunteer to work and are paid as security personnel. Now it is unknown whether more than half of those officers will show up at the team’s next game on Sept. 12.
“I’m already hearing it this week that next week on Monday Night Football, some officers are not going to work,” said Frank Saunders, president of the Santa Clara Police Officers Association.
From the police union letter: