A gaggle of cops in San Antonio will be punished after being caught sporting Donald Trump hats while escorting the presidential candidate to the airport on Tuesday.
At least 15 uniformed, on-duty cops with the San Antonio Police Department motorcycle unit in Texas violated the city’s policy by wear the flashy “Make America Great Again” hats, Police Chief William McManus said in a statement.
"The officers wearing the campaign hats while in uniform violated SAPD policy and will be disciplined appropriately,” McManus wrote. “SAPD officers are charged with protecting the entire community. The officers displayed poor judgment. I expect them to know better than to give the appearance of endorsing a candidate while on duty and in uniform, regardless of the political campaign or the candidate."
The eager motorcade was shown posing with Trump and shaking his hand at San Antonio International Airport in a video shared to the candidate’s Twitter.
The cops — still wearing the hats — then walked away with the caption “We will make America safe & great again, together!”
“You can’t do that kind of stuff while on duty,” San Antonio Police Officers Association president Mike Helle told the Express-News.
He doesn’t expect punishment beyond written reprimand or counseling for officers taking a public stand for Trump.
City employees — such as police officers — are prohibited from participating in political discourse while on the job, according to the Express-News.
The questionable tarmac fashion comes as numerous law enforcement unions pledge their votes for Trump, including federal immigration agents associated with the National ICE Council and the Fraternal Order of Police — the nation’s largest police union.
Trump advocated for police in Sunday night’s contentious debate against Hillary Clinton.
“Just today, policemen was shot, two killed,” Trump said of two officers slain in California. “And this is happening on a weekly basis. We have to bring back respect to law enforcement.”
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