Officer Said 'All Lives Matter' Sign Was Without Intent: Chief

MELROSE, MA — The officer who wrote "all lives matter" in an electronic traffic sign on Main Street didn't do so with "malicious or political intent," the chief of police said.

The sign, which for part of Wednesday read "THE SAFETY OF ALL LIVES MATTER," touched off a community discussion about the appropriateness of police using a phrase that is most often used as a rebuttal to Black Lives Matter.

Police Chief Mike Lyle said Wednesday night he launched an investigation into the "improper and unfortunate" sign, the findings of which will be made public.

"I am aware that the phrase 'all lives matter' is commonly used as a misguided counter to the Black Lives Matter movement," Lyle said in a statement.

Lyle said the traffic officer responsible for the sign was recently told to switch the wording from a fireworks message to one about general traffic safety.

"Preliminarily, the officer reported to me that he did not post the message with either malicious or political intent," Lyle said. "The officer, by his account, was trying to type a traffic safety message in the limited space offered by the electronic sign and did not realize the totality or impact of the words he had posted."

Lyle apologized to residents and said all traffic messages will be approved by him going forward. Read Lyle's statement below.

Pictures of the sign, which was on the right-hand side of Main Street for those heading toward Oak Grove, started making the rounds on social media Wednesday afternoon.

Mayor Paul Brodeur tweeted shortly after 1 p.m. that he was "made aware" of the sign and ordered it taken down. He said he has started looking into how it got up there.

"I apologize to the residents of Melrose," Brodeur said.

The sign was quickly changed to a default message.

Jeannette Frey was driving when she thought she noticed the phrase. So she drove around the block, past her home, to double-check.

"Honestly, I was furious," she told Patch. "And really disappointed."

She wasn't alone. Some residents were concerns police would use such a charged phrase during a national reckoning on race.

A number of City Councilors joined in. At least two — Maya Jamaleddine and Jack Eccles — were part of a small gathering of residents with Black Lives Matter signs on Franklin Street later in the afternoon.

In June, the City Council unanimously approved a resolution endorsing the Black Lives Matter slogan. The resolution was sponsored by Jamaleddine, who on Wednesday immediately reached out to Brodeur and asked the sign be taken down and the person responsible to be held accountable.

"I hope this will be a learning lesson and will never be repeated," Jamaleddine told Patch. "I'm so hurt and saddened knowing the effect of this sign on Black people, especially those who were directly targeted by racism and hate."

Shortly after the death of George Floyd, Brodeur, Lyle and then-Superintendent Cyndy Taymore issued a statement saying they were "deeply saddened and outraged" by his death.

Brodeur in the beginning of June announced an internal audit of the city's departments, boards and commissions to see where bias may exist and how to make improvements toward solving systemic racism. A report on that review was due to be made public by June 19. As of July 8, it hasn't been.

Following a heated discussion among city officials about taking money earmarked for new police guns to fund bias training, Brodeur said the city will undergo an external assessment of racial equity. He also committed other short- and long-term funding toward battling racial inequality.

Lyle's full statement:

"Earlier today, I was made aware by Mayor Paul A. Brodeur of unfortunate and improper wording on a roadway electronic messaging sign on Main Street. A traffic officer was recently ordered to update the message from a reminder about fireworks being illegal to a more general traffic safety message. The message was updated with a reminder about obeying the speed limit, and the message ended with 'the safety of all lives matter.'

"I am aware that the phrase 'all lives matter' is commonly used as a misguided counter to the Black Lives Matter movement. The sign was immediately changed and at the request of the Mayor, I launched an investigation, which is ongoing.

"The findings of the investigation will be made public. Preliminarily, the officer reported to me that he did not post the message with either malicious or political intent. The officer, by his account, was trying to type a traffic safety message in the limited space offered by the electronic sign and did not realize the totality or impact of the words he had posted. Nonetheless, I will conduct a full and thorough investigation.

"On behalf of the Melrose Police Department, I sincerely apologize to our residents and anyone who drove past the sign today.

"I will be communicating about this matter to all officers at roll call, and, effective immediately, I am ordering that any roadway messages and any messaging on electronic signage must be approved by my office prior to going live."