‘It’s a senseless war on cops that appears to be escalating’
WASHINGTON, DC – As the nation mourns the horrific murder of five police officers in Dallas last week, police departments across the nation face new threats of anti-police violence via the Internet.
Dallas Police Chief David Brown has told reporters that he and his department are taking an anonymous Facebook threat very seriously. “We’re all on edge and we’re being very careful.”
In Detroit, four men were arrested for making Facebook threats against police in that city. Meanwhile, the FBI has arrested three men in Baton Rouge, LA accused of robbing guns from a pawn shop. One of them allegedly confessed that the weapons were intended to be used against police officers. The search is on for a fourth suspect who got away.
“It’s a senseless war on cops that appears to be escalating and the only way to stop it is for enough people, both black and white, to stand with their police forces in solidarity,” says Dan Weber, president of the Association of Mature American Citizens.
Weber cited a study, by the New York Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association. It showed that the majority of NYPD officers – 96% of them – feel that the lack of support for the work they do is taking its toll. “But you can bet that when a citizen is faced with a life-or-death situation, your local cops will not hesitate to put themselves in harm’s way to protect you regardless of whether you support them or not.”
The AMAC chief said that it is up to our elected officials to take the lead in shifting public opinion in support of our police. “I’m not asking them for blind faith as regards the police, but I am asking them to give credit where credit is due. The vast majority of those who choose to be policemen have the ‘right stuff;’ they care about the people in their communities and are prepared to go to extremes to keep them safe.”
Weber quoted one police officer, Jay Stalien, currently serving in Palm Beach, Florida. Previously, he served in Baltimore, Maryland. He is African-American and he posted a poignant message on his Facebook page that has attracted tens of thousands of views. In his words, ‘I became a cop because black lives in my community, along with ALL lives, mattered to me, and wanted to help stop the bloodshed.’
