Arlington police group doesn’t follow Miami’s lead, will not boycott Beyonce concert

Unlike a Miami police association, Arlington, Texas, police won’t organize an off-duty security boycott of Beyoncé’s May concert here, says a statement released Monday night, despite the singer’s contribution to a “perceived anti-police movement.”

Meanwhile, CLEAT, a statewide organization representing police, announced that officers shouldn’t have to work an event that goes against their beliefs or “is a conscience issue.”

Police officers often work off-duty security at AT&T Stadium and other arenas across the country.

But as Beyoncé’s new tour is set to begin this spring, her “Formation” music video, which begins with her standing atop a half-submerged police car, and her performance of the song at the Super Bowl has drawn criticism from law enforcement groups.

The director of the National Sheriff’s association told The Washington Post earlier this month that the Houston-born singer’s halftime show was “inciting bad behavior.” One Tennessee sheriff suggested to a local paper that the performance was the reason shots were fired at his home.

In Florida last week, the Miami police union voted to boycott Beyoncé’s April concert at Marlins Park.

A union in Raleigh, N.C., where Beyonce’s performance is scheduled for May 3, could consider the same action Tuesday, WTVD-TV reported.

J.P. Mason, the president of the Arlington Police Association, released a statement Monday night on behalf of APA, the Arlington Municipal Patrolman’s Association, the Arlington African-American Police Officers Association and Amigos en Azul, the Hispanic officers’ association.

“When we sign up to work an event, we are there working for the overall safety of the event and the patrons NOT the celebrity,” Mason said. “Simply put a formal boycott of working a concert would have zero effect on the concert giver, and more of an effect on the citizens in attendance, citizens that we have taken an oath to protect, regardless of whatever personal beliefs they may or may not have towards us.”

CLEAT took a different approach.

“If an officer does not want to work a concert for a certain performer then we believe police administrations will make sure that no officer is forced to work at a task where he or she feels it goes against their beliefs or it is a conscience issue,” the organization said in a statement Monday night.

CLEAT asked Beyoncé for a clarification of her song’s intentions.

“If any of our local affiliated unions decide to create an off-duty security boycott of her concerts, they are autonomous and free to act in their own political best interest,” the organization said. “After thoughtful review of her song and video, we believe the mere suggestion that this offering is anti-police or condones violence against officers should present Ms. Knowles-Carter with a great opportunity to set the record straight.”

Staff writer Monica S. Nagy contributed to this report

This story was originally published February 23, 2016 at 10:50 AM with the headline "Arlington police group doesn’t follow Miami’s lead, will not boycott Beyonce concert."