The University of Nevada Reno’s police chief has apologized for one of his officers’ Halloween costumes.
According to the Reno Gazette-Journal, a picture of a university police officer dressed as former San Francisco 49ers quarterback and UNR graduate Colin Kaepernick has circulated around social media this weekend.
In the picture, the officer is seen wearing a long, fake nose, a wig and a T-shirt with 49ers on it. He is also holding a sign that says, “Will Stand for Food.”
Kaepernick has filed a grievance with the NFL accusing team owners of colluding to not sign a contract with him because he took a knee during the national anthem last year to protest racial injustice.
UNR Police Chief Adam Garcia apologized, saying the officer was "mocking a citizen who has chosen to take advantage of his constitutional right to protest” and calling the costume “insensitive.”
The costume comes on the heels of a traffic stop involving another UNR Police officer and a former football player and graduate student.
During the stop, the officer is caught on tape saying he would shoot the former player, who is black, rather than fight him if the traffic stop got out of hand.
The university has launched an investigation into that incident.