The police in Santa Clara aren't too thrilled with 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's recent antics, and they're threatening to refuse to show up for security patrol at the team's home games. In addition to sitting during the Star-Spangled Banner, Kaepernick also wore socks depicting police officers as pigs during practice and has made a series of anti-police comments.
The @Kaepernick7 clown show continues..Police pig socks? Really?!? Shame on the @NFL for encouraging this buffoonery https://t.co/pfuEkFDBim
— Matt Bevin (@MattBevin) September 2, 2016
According to NBC Bay Area, the police union has not fully agreed on a boycott, but may do so if the team does not take disciplinary action against Kaepernick.
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.
Police in Minneapolis recently left their posts at a WNBA game in protest after the team wore Black Lives Matter jerseys. Several officers in the area had recently been injured when a Black Lives Matter protest turned violent.