The Police Officers Association and the Metropolitan Transit District Board asked the advertising firm that placed that artwork to have it removed. The firm refused on First Amendment grounds. "[The art] may be controversial," said a spokesperson for the firm, "but life is controversial."
Considerable public controversy followed. During the run of America's Finest?, benches were vandalized with pro-police messages. Several San Diego residents also started a T-shirt counter-campaign contending that the "real targets" were the police. Another local group, the Stamp Out Crime Council, placed their own bench art wishing the police a happy holiday.
Representative Lowery insisted that the National Endowment for the Arts investigate the grant and determine whether it was proper to use NEA money to "purchase commercial advertising to make a political statement." After investigating the terms of the grant, the NEA determined that it was "in conformance with the guidelines existing at the time."
Source: People for the American Way