Officers of the Hallandale Beach Police Department were so angered by their chief kneeling to show solidarity with protesters that every member of the SWAT team resigned from those duties.
The officers did not resign completely from the police force, and will stay on duty.
Those who resigned specifically cited City of Hallandale Beach Police Chief Sonia Quinones kneeling with protesters against racism, hatred, and intolerance as the reason for their startling act.
"The risk of carrying out our duties in this capacity is no longer acceptable to us and our families. The anguish and stress of knowing that what we may be lawfully called upon to do in today's political climate combined with the team's current situation and several recent local events, leave us in a position that is untenable," the officers said in their resignation letter.
Chief Quinones will meet with the officers who resigned on Monday in order to hear out their grievances.
The city said that they will continue to have SWAT services through mutual aid agreements with other cities.
Police agencies have responded to the outbreak of protests and rioting in different ways. While some have tried to maintain their distance from the goals of the protests, others have openly joined demonstrators.
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