Golden Valley police chief apologizes for divisive symbol in online post

Golden Valley Police Chief Virgil Green apologized for a social media post that included the "thin blue line" flag, which he said has become divisive as its meaning has morphed from apolitical support for police to include connotations for some of far-right and white supremacist views.

The flag appeared in a Jan. 9 social media post from the Golden Valley Police Department for National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. Green said the post was meant to thank Golden Valley officers, but he acknowledged it offended some and apologized for using the divisive symbol.

"For many, the thin blue line flag has always represented a way to honor the commitment we make as first responders to protect our community," Green wrote in an online post last week. "It is disappointing that in recent years the flag's positive intention has been tarnished with divisive undertones and actions. We do not want to promote these negative connotations."

The flap comes just weeks after Golden Valley released the results of a wide-ranging internal investigation that found resistance to anti-racism efforts in the city's Police Department.

The nine-month investigation was conducted in 2022 by a Minneapolis law firm, at the behest of Mayor Shep Harris. The probe followed allegations of racism and officer misconduct that surfaced during the search for a police chief, which ended with Green's hiring last summer.

Responding to concerned comments online about the use of the flag, Green said that while he considered the flag to be apolitical, he understood that is not the way everyone sees it.

"In the future, the Golden Valley Police Department will use images that do not bring unwarranted controversy between the police and the public," he wrote.