“Nobody remembers them”: Exploring the Moral Weight of the Thin Blue Line Patch and the Potential for Moral Injury Among Canadian Police

The Thin Blue Patch (TBL) in Canada is laced in controversy. However, what is unclear, given the patch is a symbol to commemorate fallen officers, including those completing suicide, is if the moratorium on the patch further stigmatizes mental health. And if so, does this undermine efforts in policing to legitimize and destigmatize mental health? Decisions regarding patches tied to police officer identity and culture may underpin moral injuries in police officers – who may already be organizationally and operationally worn down. Placing moratoriums on a patch that is culturally meaningful to police officer identity, and is intended to normalize mental health complications tied to trauma exposure and help-seeking, may re-stigmatize mental health in novel and unintentional ways. The TBL patch is not simply tied to the commemoration of fallen officers. It also recognizes officers who are struggling on a day-to-day basis, who ‘nobody remembers’, and brings to light policing’s collateral impacts on mental health through shared struggles.