SANTA CLARA, Calif. _ After a week of speculation that quarterback Colin Kaepernick's police-brutality protests might spur a boycott by Santa Clara police officers working gameday security at Levi's Stadium, officials said they expect "business as usual" at the San Francisco 49ers' season opener Monday.
"The game for Monday is adequately staffed with Santa Clara cops and the stadium cops we use for any game," Lt. Dan Moreno said Thursday. "I wouldn't expect anything different."
Moreno said some officers might not work the game because of scheduling issues from the game happening on a weekday rather than a Sunday, but that "no one is boycotting the game."
"I'm not aware of anyone saying they're not working because of what Kaepernick said," Moreno said.
Kaepernick is set to suit up for Monday's game as the No. 2 quarterback behind Blaine Gabbert.
The Santa Clara Police Officers' Association could not be immediately reached for comment Thursday. The union's board of directors wrote a Sept. 2 letter to the 49ers in which they threatened to boycott games because of Kaepernick. The quarterback has refused to stand for the national anthem in recent games to protest what he calls a lack of accountability for police officers who have shot black men. He also wore socks in practice that had images of a pig in a police hat, a move he said was done to protest "rogue cops."
Chief Michael Sellers responded to the boycott talk in a statement voicing sympathy for the officers' sentiments but ultimately urging the union to "put the safety of our citizens first."
About 120 police officers work voluntary overtime shifts paid by the 49ers during game days, of which about 40 are employed by the city of Santa Clara. The rest come from other area police agencies that work as deputized Santa Clara police on game days.
Kaepernick's stance has been criticized by conservatives, members of the military and police officers and been accused of disrespecting the flag, the military and his country. But he's also been backed by President Barack Obama, a group of military veterans who call themselves VeteransForKaepernick, and by prominent athletes such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jim Brown and San Jose's John Carlos.
Kaepernick's No. 7 49ers jersey is now the top-selling jersey in the NFL, and he has pledged to donate his share of those sales to community groups. He previously pledged to donate $1 million to unspecified charities.
