An image of a Vancouver police officer wearing a black patch with a star and white bars, resembling the Israeli flag, was shared on social media on Feb. 15. The Vancouver Police Department responded to the posting on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) on Feb. 16, stating that the patch is not an approved part of the VPD uniform and that the officer has been instructed to remove it. The department had previously stated that unauthorized patches should not be worn on uniforms.
Deputy Chief Constable Fiona Wilson informed the Vancouver Police Board in January of last year that a reminder of the policy had been sent to all officers after a complaint about an officer wearing a thin blue line patch. A report to the board stated that the patch was worn to express solidarity among officers but had sparked controversy and concern among the community, including Indigenous advisers who perceived it as a “dividing line.” The department has been firm in its policy, reinforcing that the use of unauthorized uniform patches is against regulation and creates tension in the community.