Officer's Jeep seen with symbol ‘appropriated by’ neo-Nazis, group says, after Hamilton police OK him to work

A Hamilton police officer, back at work after he was investigated for sharing racist and extremist content online, is again displaying a sticker "associated with white nationalist extremism" on his vehicle, a community group says.

The Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre (HARRC) says that in February, a concerned community member photographed Const. Renato Greco's personal Jeep sporting a decal featuring a Knights Templar crest, a symbol "appropriated by some white nationalist and neo-Nazi groups."

The sticker features a phrase which was also the title of a 1960 pamphlet by George Lincoln Rockwell, who founded the American Nazi Party, HARRC said in a post Monday. 

"While such symbols may have historical or religious origins, their contemporary use in extremist contexts has transformed their meaning and impact, particularly for communities that have historically been targeted by hate," HARRC said. 

CBC previously confirmed through a licence plate search the vehicle is registered to Greco. Last year, before the police investigation, the vehicle was seen parked outside the station with a sticker of the group Diagolon on its left bumper.

The latest picture shows the new sticker in place of the Diagolon decal. The vehicle is seen in a winter setting, also in front of the police station.

On the new decal is the name of an online store that sells stickers and patches. CBC found the image on the site, identified as a Knights Templar sticker.

HARRC is now calling on the Hamilton Police Services Board to conduct an independent, external review into how police handle hate and extremism concerns from within the force as a result of the discovery. A motion in January asking for this review was defeated.

HARRC is also calling on the Governor General of Canada to consider rescinding an exemplary service medal Greco received in 2023, marking 20 years of police service. Both requests were made via open letters posted online Monday.

Hamilton Police Service (HPS) spokesperson Jackie Penman confirmed Tuesday that police received a complaint from HARRC regarding concerns about the latest sticker, which they forwarded to provincial oversight body, the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency (LECA).

"Once a complaint is sent to LECA, we are mandated to wait for their decision," Penman said. She did not confirm whether Greco remains on active duty saying only, "The member is employed by Hamilton Police Service in a non-public-facing role."

A LECA spokesperson told CBC Hamilton it received "notification from HPS regarding potential misconduct." LECA's director has 30 days to decide if it is in the public interest for the agency to investigate the allegations, the spokesperson said.

CBC Hamilton did not receive a response from the Governor General's office prior to publication.

In December 2024, HARRC informed police a vehicle later confirmed to be Greco's was parking outside the downtown police station while displaying the Diagolon flag. The RCMP has labelled Diagolon an "extremist, militia-like organization." Its offshoot, Second Sons, is a white nationalist "active club" whose leaders openly use racist slurs and welcome neo-Nazis into their ranks. Police said later the service conducted its own internal investigation into the matter.