Police stations around Italy got a surprise when they opened the latest delivery of FFP2 masks – they are pink. The police union wrote to Italy’s police chief declaring the pink masks ‘undecorous’.
The unexpected delivery of pink masks to police stations met with amazement and disapproval. Several forces complained over the “unbecoming” colour, Italian media reports.
The secretary general of the ‘Sap’ police trade union has written to Lamberto Giannini, Italy’s police chief. He stated officers will refuse to wear the “unseemly” pink masks. He also asked for them to be withdrawn.
“decorum and respect” says union
The pink masks arrived at police stations in Bologna, Ferrara, Pavia, Siracusa, Varese and Venice, reports Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. Officers were taken aback by the colour.
“On the basis of the oath taken, it is necessary that the uniform be worn with decorum and respect for the institution to which one belongs”, writes Sap chief Stefano Paoloni.
“The use of unsuitable accessories that do not represent the administration is therefore discouraged,” writes Paoloni. “We believe clothing and accessories used must be appropriate and consistent with the uniform, just as it is not recommended to use eye-catching masks.”
Therefore, pink is not suitable for the police and suggests a “semblance of less authority”, argues the union. The union requested the masks be replaced with “a different colour (white, light blue, blue or black) and in any case consistent with the uniform of the state police.”
Corriere della Sera reported the face masks were among a batch also sent to staff at other public institutions.
