Italian police angry about pink mouth caps: “It detracts from authority” Abroad

The surprise was great when the boxes with new mouth caps were unpacked at police stations all over Italy; the masks were pink. In Bologna, Venice and Siracusa in Sicily, among others, agents refuse to wear the masks. “They don’t do justice to the uniform,” they say.

Since the beginning of January, wearing the medical mask type FFP2 has been mandatory in all indoor areas in Italy. So also two police officers on patrol will have to wear that mask in the car and somewhere inside.

But pink prospers badly with it azzurro of the cars and the dark blue of the uniforms, according to the police union SAP. Reason why the union has asked the highest police chief Lamberto Giannini for clarification about the delivery. “Based on the oath taken, the uniform must be worn with decorum and respect for office,” the union wrote in a letter. “Pink detracts from authority.”

The union asks Giannini to intervene immediately and provide the police personnel with masks with more neutral colors, “such as white, blue or black”.

On the Facebook page of police union SAP, reactions to the message are a lot milder. “Important that we have them, color doesn’t matter,” someone wrote. Another: “Didn’t know we had masks for every shift, or are those things in bags that we can only use if we come into contact with a person who tested positive?”

Since the start of the pandemic, Italian police, especially prison staff, have complained about the lack of protective equipment. Earlier this week, the guards’ union grumbled that the 6,000 FFP2 masks supplied were not enough for all staff.

Neither the Interior Ministry nor police chief Giannini has commented on the report.