RICHMOND, VA — Virginia State Police have been instructed not to cover their name tags after some troopers violated policy by putting black tape over their tags during a pro-Confederate rally in Richmond last month.

State police superintendent Col. W. Steven Flaherty said in an Oct. 3 letter to the Virginia American Civil Liberties Union that intentionally covering name tags is against department policy. He said “appropriate action” has been taken and supervisors have been told to ensure name tags are not covered again.

A photo of a trooper with his name tag covered during the Sept. 16 rally, which included counterprotesters, prompted questions on social media.

The ACLU sent a letter to Flaherty saying that officials performing their duties in public should be readily identifiable by members of the public.

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