‘Finally Blew Her Out Of Town!’: National Police Org Cheers Lightfoot’s Downfall
'Without law and order, nothing else matters'
Media, politicians are 'burning down the institution of policing' in US and turning it into a 'dying' profession, angry FOP official says
Joe Gamaldi — national vice president of the Fraternal Order of Police — on Tuesday told Fox News that the media and politicians are "burning down the institution of policing" in America and turning it into a "dying" profession.
Fox News added that Gamaldi — also a sergeant in the Houston police department — told the show's producer that the recent spike in police resignations and retirements, as well as the drop in recruitments and applications, is something he's "never seen."
What else did he say?
An animated and angry Gamali spelled out the crisis for the cable network:
For the better part of a decade, we've had the media and politicians systematically burning down the institution of policing in this country, and now we're just living in the ashes. Retirements are up nationwide 45%. Resignations are up 20%. The NYPD saw a 40% spike in people leaving the department. In Seattle, they're having hundreds of police officers leave their department. And the sad part is ... we don't have anybody to take their place! Because recruitment is tanking worse than the stock market was last week! Applications are down 40% in Massachusetts, 80% down in New Jersey. In Illinois, they're down 70%; Chicago alone has seen an 83% reduction in applications. This is leading to dangerous understaffing on the streets at a time when violence against us is through the roof ... Response times are through the roof. We don't even have people to investigate the crimes! In Seattle, they're not investigating sexual assault cases because they need all hands on deck on the street. I've been a police officer for 17 years ... It is not hyperbole when I say our profession is dying. We have been denigrated. We've been demonized. And we've been treated like crap for years. And we're all sick of it.
Fox News pointed out that so far this year, 173 cops have been shot in the line of duty; in the same time period last year, the number was 158.
Gamaldi also told the cable network that 2020's infamous "defund the police" outcry after George Floyd died in the hands of Minneapolis officers was the culmination of inflammatory rhetoric against police.
He also argued that policing is the only profession in America aside from the armed forces that involves the daily prospect of people who are "actively trying to kill us."
2021 saw the most police officers shot and killed in US history, according to Fraternal Order of Police
The National Fraternal Order of Police – the oldest and largest police union in the United States – said that 2021 is already the bloodiest year in history for American law enforcement officers.
As of Tuesday, the National Fraternal Order of Police reported that 314 police officers were shot in the line of duty — 58 of whom were killed. There were 42 cops shot in Texas, 25 in Illinois, 21 in California, and 17 officers shot in both Florida and Georgia.
Despite a month left to go in the year, 2021 is already the deadliest year on record for police officers, according to the FOP. There were 312 police officers shot and 47 killed in 2020. There were 293 cops shot and 50 killed in 2019.
Another disturbing trend is that there were reportedly 95 ambush-style attacks thus far in 2021 – a 126% increase compared to 2020. The ambush attacks resulted in 119 officers being shot and 28 who lost their lives.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: More officers have been SHOT and KILLED this year than any other year\u2014and there is one month left!\n\n 314 Officers Shot\n\n 58 Officers Killed by Gunfire\n\n Ambush Attacks on Officers Up 126% from 2020 (YTD)\n\nPray for America\u2019s Law Enforcement!pic.twitter.com/Ufm87YCsd2— National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) (@National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP)) 1638380585
"We are on pace this year to see the highest number of officers shot in the line of duty in one year ever recorded," FOP president Patrick Yoes said on Wednesday. "We've already had more officers killed in the line of duty by gunfire this year than any other — and there is still one month left."
"There is no doubt that the recent erosion of respect for law enforcement has fueled more aggression towards police officers than what has been seen in previous years," Yoes added. "As violence continues to be aimed at law enforcement, our officers continue to show up every day to keep the communities they serve safe. These men and women run toward danger to protect the public when everyone else is running away."
The National Fraternal Order of Police called on Congress to pass the "Protect and Serve Act" – legislation reintroduced by 17 Republican lawmakers in March that would "create federal penalties for individuals who deliberately target local, state, or federal law enforcement officers with violence."
The FOP demanded, "Congress must act now to address the terrible violence targeting our law enforcement officers and pass the 'Protect and Serve Act' to better protect the brave men and women who wear the badge and send a clear message to those who would seek to do them harm."
The FOP blamed "rogue prosecutors refusing to prosecute violent criminals" for the rising crime across the country. The group also called out media members for not covering increasing crime rates.
"Those saying that America's #CrimeCrisis is not out of control are either not paying attention or trying to cover for the rogue prosecutors pushing radical policies," the police organization wrote on Twitter. "To the various media folks who’ve been turning a blind eye to the killings in our streets: do your damn job!"
The FOP also blamed "activist judges" for contributing to the "historic crime wave" by "releasing violent criminals on probation with low bail or no bail."
Some say there's no #CrimeCrisis. The numbers speak for themselves.pic.twitter.com/JwApCaLT5O— National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) (@National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP)) 1637184305
The U.S. murder rate skyrocketed 30% from 2019 to 2020 – the largest single-year increase in modern history, according to data published in October by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In September, the FBI published similar findings that homicides jumped up by 30% in 2020 compared to the previous year.
Several cities have experienced surges of violent crime in 2021.
The Council on Criminal Justice released a report in July that found the number of murders in 22 major U.S. cities increased by 16% compared to the same period in 2020 and soared by 42% compared to the first six months of 2019.
Philadelphia has reached 512 murders, surpassing the record of 500 homicides that was set in 1990.
Washington, D.C., has recorded 205 homicides in 2021, surpassing 200 for the first time since 2003.
Portland set a new record for homicides in September with 67.
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