Police officers throughout the country are disappointed with presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s lack of support for law enforcement during the protests and unrest sparked by the killing of George Floyd.
“Clearly, he’s made a lot of changes the way candidates do during the primary process, but he kept moving left and fell off the deep end,” says Bill Johnson, head of the National Association of Police Organizations (the umbrella organization for Police Benevolent Association chapters).
While most police officers tend to be conservative, NAPO’s criticism of Biden is new. The organization endorsed President Obama in 2008 and 2012 just because Biden’s name was on the ticket, said Johnson.
“For Joe Biden, police are shaking their heads because he used to be a stand-up guy who backed law enforcement…But it seems in his old age, for whatever reason, he’s writing a sad final chapter when it comes to supporting law enforcement.”
Johnson’s comments follow a Tuesday speech in which Biden discussed his ideas for police reform – including additional oversight, the banning of chokeholds, and an end to the use of military weapons by police. “Most cops meet the highest standards of their profession,” said Biden. “All the more reason that bad cops should be dealt with severely and swiftly.”
“Historically, Mr. Biden has always been a friend of law enforcement and that’s why I find his comments a little disheartening,” said Larry Cosme, head of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association.
President Trump has also criticized Biden for failing to stand with his former supporters in blue: “Biden hasn’t said a single word on one of the most horrific aspects of the bloodshed: attacks by rioters and looters, sometimes fatal, on police officers in the line of duty protecting innocent Americans.”
At least 300 officers in New York City alone have been injured during the protests.
Complicating matters for Biden is growing pressure from the “defund the police” movement, which seeks to cut all funding to law enforcement. The preposterous idea, which is sure to infuriate a large number of the voters Biden desperately needs, is backed by Bernie Sanders supporters, the Democratic Socialists of America, and some high-level Democrats.
In his 2020 presidential platform, Mr. Sanders called to cut federal funding to all police departments found “violating people’s civil rights.”
Biden’s platform includes additional funding for a Department of Justice program that offers grants to police departments if they hire officers to focus on “community policing.”
Author’s Note: Biden has always supported law enforcement, but it seems he is willing to throw that away to court Millennial voters who are demanding a strong response to the death of George Floyd. This could have a major affect on his campaign.
Also disappointing (but not surprising): Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) has called to disband the police force in Minneapolis.
Editor’s Note: Every been in a place that has no police presence? In my days as an intelligence officer I traveled extensively in the third world and I’ve seen it. It is ugly.
Rape. Gang murders. Forced prostitution. Robbery in broad daylight. Extortion. Exploitation of older people. Legitimate businesses fail. Banks leave. Starvation.
And this is what the Democrats want?