Members of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) are angry that leaders are allowing officers to wear L.A. Lakers hats on the job after LeBron James and other players expressed anti-police sentiment, a source familiar with the situation told Breitbart News.
In an internal email, LAPD leaders voiced their support for the Lakers, who are in the NBA Championship finals this year.
“The Chief of Police has authorized the wearing of Lakers hats by all Department personnel (sworn and civilian), while on-duty, from now until the conclusion of the finals,” said the email, which was obtained by Breitbart News. “The Los Angeles Police Department would like to wish the Lakers much success.”
The email has riled rank-and-file cops, many of whom resent recent comments made by LeBron James and fellow player Kyle Kuzma disparaging law enforcement. James has repeatedly attacked police on social media, including police in Kenosha, for the way they handled the shooting of Jacob Blake Jr. in August. Kuzma has stated that police who break the law aren’t being held accountable.
Lakers athletes have also been photographed wearing modified MAGA hats that said: “Make America Arrest the Cops Who Killed Breonna Taylor.”
LAPD leadership’s decision to honor the Lakers is not sitting well with many officers.
“LAPD Rank and File are pissed,” an officer told Breitbart News. “We’ve been betrayed and abandoned by the people who are supposed to speak up for us and the law abiding citizens we protect and serve.”
The officer also blasted LAPD Chief Michel Moore and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (D) for refusing to take a hardline stance against the attempted shooting of three police officers over the weekend.
“The Chief and Mayor refuse to go hard in the paint about the attempted murder of three police officers over the last week. Yet find time to push insulting garbage like this? We are supposed to ignore the repeated hatred from LeBron James and the rest of the major American Pro-Sports leagues?
“No thanks,” the officer said. “Hate has no home here.”
NBA ratings have plummeted this season as fans grow weary of athletes’ using the sport to broadcast their political views.
Follow David Ng on Twitter @HeyItsDavidNg. Have a tip? Contact me at dng@breitbart.com
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