FERGUSON, Mo., Sept. 27 (UPI) -- After reports that some police officers in Ferguson, Mo. were wearing "I am Darren Wilson" bracelets, in an effort to support the officer who shot and killed an unarmed black teenager and faced public scrutiny, the Department of Justice has stepped in and ordered officers to stop wearing the bracelet.
"There is no question that police departments can and should closely regulate officers' professional appearance and behavior, particularly where, as here, the expressive accessory itself is exacerbating an already tense atmosphere between law enforcement and residents in Ferguson. These bracelets reinforce the very 'us versus them' mentality that many residents of Ferguson believe exists," reads the letter from Christy E. Lopez, who works for the department's Civil Rights Division.
