I'm no expert on knots ...

There is a unit of the Albuquerque Police Department called the Repeat Offender Project; aka the ROP team. On the their internal documents, wanted posters and apparently even on the wall in the unit's office, the unit icon; a noose.

Or is it "just a piece of rope"

According to the Journal, link, when APD Cmdr. Doug West was asked about the image, his initial reaction was to question whether it was really a noose, adding, he was “not a knot expert.”

A local attorney, Shannon Kennedy, said "It’s culturally insensitive at best.” For them to say that it’s just a rope shows willful ignorance. It speaks directly to the cultural problem within this police department and encourages a gang-like, us-vs.-them mentality instead of service to the public.”

Initially, according to the Journal, West, who oversees the Repeat Offender Project, first claimed he was not familiar with it, had never seen it on any document and didn’t know whether it had anything to do with the ROP team.

Except that it was painted on the wall in the Unit's office.

Worse than having a noose for an icon, is lying about having a noose for an icon. Much worse.