Police Week is happening in DC and law enforcement is telling the Daily Caller that morale is low in departments across the country because they don’t feel they have the public support any longer.
Once source is even saying that some police officers may turn their backs on Obama on Friday at a Capitol Memorial service where Obama is slated to speak:
DAILY CALLER – Law enforcement officers at Washington, D.C.’s annual Police Week tell The Daily Caller that the anti-police climate is taking its toll on the men and women in uniform and that morale is low in departments across the country.
…Cops say that the fear of legal and political backlash, similar to what was seen in Ferguson, New York City and Baltimore, is hurting morale. One source at Police Week who also does part-time security work for private companies was astounded at how young some of the violent individuals were during the Baltimore riots.
Another law enforcement source described how objects like bottles are often thrown at the police cruiser she drives.
One recently retired police officer told TheDC that people do not seem to understand that cops do not get up in the morning thinking about who they want to hurt that day.
“Morale is low because we don’t have the public’s backing,” she said, noting that the same people who verbally or even physically attack police officers are the same ones who call them for help. “I pulled a guy over, recently. He was a drunk driver. He said, ‘Fuck you, I hate cops.’”
A law enforcement source told TheDC that some attendees are threatening to turn their backs on President Barack Obama at the annual National Peace Officers Memorial Service at the Capitol, where Obama is scheduled to deliver remarks. Obama made comments in the past that many in the police community found offensive.
But [President of the Fraternal Order of Police Chuck Canterbury] says he does not think most police officers in attendance will turn their backs on Obama and Lynch at the service.
“This event is not to honor the president of the United States. It’s to honor the officers who have been slain in the line of duty,” he said. “And I think the vast majority of police officers in attendance understand that the National Police Officers Memorial Service is to honor those in our brotherhood that have passed away and that have paid the ultimate sacrifice. No, we don’t anticipate that happening.”
I hope they do it. It’d be a powerful message and one this president absolutely deserves.