Deputy’s extremist group patch at protest under investigation, California sheriff says

A California deputy is under investigation for wearing an extremist group patch on his uniform during a protest, a sheriff says.

Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes says the office is aware of video and photos of a uniformed deputy wearing “unauthorized insignia,” according to a news release on Wednesday. The Sheriff’s Office says the symbols aren’t approved by the department and are prohibited by its policies.

“This deputy’s decision to wear these patches, and the implication of his association with an extremist group, is unacceptable and deeply concerning to me,” Barnes said in a statement. “Any symbol can have multiple meanings and is open to interpretation, which is why wearing of non-approved symbols and patches is strictly prohibited. Instances like this can forge a wedge separating law enforcement from the community we serve, especially during these turbulent times.”

The Sheriff’s Office did not release the deputy’s name.

A video on a Reddit page for Orange County shows a deputy in a tactical gear uniform with a patch with a symbol for Three Percenters and the word Oath Keeper. The caption says the protest was in Costa Mesa.

Three Percenters describe themselves as a “national organization made up of patriotic citizens” with a mission to fight “overreaching government and push back against tyranny.” Oath Keepers say they’re a group of mostly current and former military, police and first responders who “defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”

The Anti-Defamation League says both groups are part of the militia movement concerned with a conspiracy that the federal government is trying to take rights and freedoms from Americans, particularly the rights of gun ownership.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations decried the symbols of the “far-right” groups appearing on a law enforcement officer’s uniform in a news release.

“It is outrageous that a member of a law enforcement organization would be so brazen as to apparently wear a symbol of violence, discord and bigotry on his uniform, especially in the wake of the murder of George Floyd,” CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush said in a statement. “We demand that the Orange County Sheriff’s Department investigate this incident, identify the officer and take appropriate action. We also call for the OCSD to formulate a clear policy against the display of such offensive material and to apologize for this lack of oversight.”

This story was originally published June 3, 2020 at 4:52 PM with the headline "Deputy’s extremist group patch at protest under investigation, California sheriff says."