Richmond Police Chief Magnus says he’d hold protest sign again

In this photo taken Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2014, Richmond Chief of Police Chris Magnus stands with demonstrators along Macdonald Ave. to protest the Michael Brown and Eric Garner deaths during a peaceful demonstration in Richmond, Calif. The Northern California police chief noted for his community policing efforts raised a few eyebrows when he joined a peaceful protest, holding a sign with the popular Twitter hashtag of "blacklivesmatter." Magnus said he attended to show the department's commitment to peaceful protest and that minority lives matter. (AP Photo/Bay Area News Group, Kristopher Skinner) less In this photo taken Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2014, Richmond Chief of Police Chris Magnus stands with demonstrators along Macdonald Ave. to protest the Michael Brown and Eric Garner deaths during a peaceful ... more Photo: Kristopher Skinner, Associated Press Photo: Kristopher Skinner, Associated Press Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Richmond Police Chief Magnus says he’d hold protest sign again 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

Richmond Police Chief Chris Magnus, who set off an avalanche of emotions when he held up a “#Black Lives Matter” sign at a local protest, says he wouldn’t hesitate if placed in the same situation.

“Sure, I would do it again, but I would like to be a little better prepared for the fallout,” Magnus said Monday.

The police chief said he and about a half dozen other members of his command staff were at a community center when the protest began Dec. 9, and that a woman he was chatting with “on issues of the day” asked if he would hold the sign.

“I looked at it for a minute and realized this is actually pretty innocuous,” Magnus said. “That 'black lives matter’ is something that I would think that we should all be able to agree upon. All lives matter.”

“I thought it was an important gesture of goodwill,” he added.

Not everyone agreed. The Richmond Police Officers Association said in a release that the chief was violating state law against politicking in uniform.

“It certainly wasn’t intended to be a political statement,” Magnus said, adding that he was not campaigning for any candidate or ballot measure.

“It was intended to be a humane statement,” Magnus said.

Still, he understands the reaction.

“I can understand how it is hard for a lot of police officers, especially given what has gone on in some the protests — the violence ... the anti-police sentiment,” Magnus said.

As for how the chief would have felt if one of his officers had held up a sign in support of Ferguson, Mo., police Officer Darren Wilson, who shot unarmed black teenager Michael Brown, triggering protests across the county?

“I would have been appalled. And I think there is a real difference,” Magnus said. “My statement was about building bridges. “A statement like support of Darren Wilson, especially under the circumstances, is incredibly divisive and I think inappropriate.”

Meanwhile, the reaction to Magnus’ sign waving, which gained nationwide attention, continues to roll in.

“The majority of what I have seen has been pretty positive and heartfelt,” he said, though “there certainly has been some critical reaction and I’m not surprised by that.”

Has he learned a lesson from the decision to hold the sign?

“I learned that three words can have an extremely powerful impact,” Magnus said. “I don’t think this is a movement or a situation that is going to disappear.”

The full interview with Magnus will be aired on KPIX-TV.

San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or e-mail matierandross@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @matierandross