St. Louis Rams Exec Denies Apologizing To Police For Ferguson Gesture

Members of the St. Louis Rams raise their arms in awareness of the events in Ferguson, Mo., as they walk onto the field during introductions before an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders, Sunday, Nov. 30, ... Members of the St. Louis Rams raise their arms in awareness of the events in Ferguson, Mo., as they walk onto the field during introductions before an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014, in St. Louis. The players said after the game, they raised their arms in a "hands up" gesture to acknowledge the events in Ferguson. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson) MORE LESS
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The St. Louis Rams and St. Louis County police are in something of a feud over the definition of “apology.”

Chief Jon Belmar sent an email to his staff Monday night informing them that a senior Rams executive called to apologize for some players’ show of support for protesters in Ferguson, Mo., the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

Five players had entered the stadium before Sunday’s game making the “hands up, don’t shoot” gesture popular with protesters. Although the St. Louis Police Association called the gesture “tasteless, offensive and inflammatory” and called on the NFL to punish the players, the league said Monday that it would take no disciplinary action against them.

Belmar wrote his staff that Kevin Demoff, the Rams’ chief operating officer, called “to take the opportunity to apologize” to the police department on behalf of the team.

“Mr. Demoff clearly regretted that any members of the Ram’s organization would act in a way that minimized the outstanding work that police officers and departments carry out each and every day,” he wrote, as quoted by the Post-Dispatch. “My impression of the call was that it was heartfelt and I assured him that I would share it with my staff.”

Demoff didn’t dispute that he called Belmar. But he told ESPN.com that he never apologized during the conversation.

“In those conversations, I expressed regret that players’ actions were construed negatively against law enforcement,” he told ESPN, adding that the team believes “it is possible to support both our players’ First Amendment rights and the efforts of local law enforcement to make this a better community.”

The St. Louis County police stuck by their characterization of the conversation with Demoff on social media, however.

“Even though Mr. Demoff stated he never apologized, the Chief believed it to be an apology and the Chief sent the email to police staff to let them know about the call, after he told Mr. Demoff he would share his sentiments with his staff,” the police department said in a Facebook post.

This post has been updated.

Notable Replies

  1. Is the SLPA is so offended, it ought to say its members will no longer volunteer to work the games and make all that juicy, pension padding OT.

  2. Last time I heard, the parents of Michael Brown are STILL waiting for an apology from the cops, and their son is D-E-A-D.

  3. Avatar for jw1 jw1 says:

    Overheard at the most recent SLPA Ferguson strategy session:
    "Any ideas on how to rile up some more nigras?’ Anyone?’

    jw1

  4. So, the St. Louis Police Association is acting all angry and aggressive when five African Americans raise their hands in surrender…isn’t this exactly the problem?

  5. The SLPA is considering suing the Rams for suggesting that cops have no right to kill unarmed black kids. “Why the hell you think we became cops in the first place?” asked Chief Jon Belmar. “This is an essential right of all police officers, and it’s non-negotiable.”

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

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