The two largest police unions in Texas are pointing out President Barrack Obama’s silence on the issue of violence against police. They have sent strong worded letters to the President, asking him to speak out over the rising violence against and murder of law enforcement officers.
“The President needs to do more than answer letters and phone up our widows in order to gain media attention,” said Todd Harrison the president of the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT) in his letter. “There is an open war against the police on the streets of America. President Obama and all the politicians in Texas and the U.S. have something in common, they’ve done absolutely nothing”
The issue of violence against law enforcement has become a hot topic following the August 28 execution of Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Darren Goforth at a Houston gas station in an unprovoked attack, Breitbart Texas reported.
“It is time for true leadership,” Kevin Lawrence and Heath Wester, the Executive Director and President respectively of the Texas Municipal Police Association (TMPA). Someone must bring the focus of our national conversation back to the facts and the very real issues that confront us – not the illusory rhetoric, which only seems to serve some misguided political agendas.
Both unions have sent out their letters and have publicly asked for the federal government to step in and address the issue which has been made worse by political agendas.
“We have seen numerous, horrific murders of and violent attacks on our law enforcement officers over the last year,” the TMPA letter revealed. “These actions are not just bad for law enforcement – they threaten the safety of all Americans. This epidemic must end now. Too many community leaders and even politicians have used false characterizations of certain tragedies to widen the schism between law enforcement and the communities they serve. In too many incidents, this has resulted in an irrational hatred of our brave men and women who wear badges.”
In addition to the letter, CLEAT is calling for officials to address the issue of hate groups that have placed a target on police officers as well as for legislation to protect law enforcement and their families.
“First, our leaders should publicly denounce organizations and individuals who openly call for the assault and murder of law enforcement personnel,” Harrison in a prepared statement adding that the move should have been done after “anti-police hate speech” turned into an avalanche following the events in Ferguson Missouri.
“Nobody should be able to get on social media and call for the death of law enforcement officers. Free speech does not extend to individuals who openly plan and encourage the murder of cops. Threats like these should be actionable under the law.”
Going a step further in protecting law enforcement, CLEAT is calling for upgrading to a capital offense the murder of a law enforcement official’s immediate family member if the crime is connected to his or her occupation.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award winning journalist with Breitbart Texas you can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook.