a uniform is a uniform and should not be decorated ?
Suppose one felt strongly about Breast Cancer ? and wore the doo-dah ? ( dogzbollox or whatever the logo is ) - or Colon cancer - or oh heavens AOG - erm HIV ? no no surely not that !
Uniform policy, personnel are recognised and standardised, uniform in their appearance and uniform in their approach to the public. Strength through sameness.
The American police put a mourning strip on their badges.
http://www.gloucestercitynews.net/.a/6a00d8341bf7d953ef012877aa69e2970c-800wi
We don't have this type of badge so a small mourning badge should be allowed. According to the article other badges are allowed including the poppy, a symbol commemorating the many thousands who died in combat, so to ban one mourning the loss of a comrade on duty seems bizarre.
I'm not sure who the communities are who will be offended but I guess these people will be offended whatever the police wear.
I see nothing wrong with this being worn.
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTE5NFgxNjAw/z/IXkAAOSwv0tVLjhm/$_35.JPG
Police stations have been known to remove the Union Flag from outside the front of their buildings (in some cases replaced by the Gay Pride flag) in fear of offending some groups.
Other than medal ribbons and poppies badges are not allowed on Police uniform.
'Blind eyes' used to be turned to a discreet tie pin used to stop the tie flapping about but strictly speaking - no badges.
I don't find the thin blue line motif offensive, but it is not part of their uniform. No badges, stickers, logos or any other slogan or design should be added to the uniform. If the rule is relaxed for this admittedly worthy reason, it will lead to all sorts of badges being worn for reasons we don't agree with. Soon we will have police pinned with Pakistani Independence Day badges, World AIDS awareness Day badges or Greenpeace badges. So there should be no exceptions to this rule.