Police flay Biden crime plan
President Joe Biden's hope of winning over police by pushing for more funding, with strings attached, was slammed Monday as a Band-aid that ignores the bigger issue of politicians attacking law enforcement.
As Biden met with some big city political and police leaders, but apparently no national law enforcement executives, two groups called for a larger discussion on city crime beyond police hiring and gun violence.
"Money isn't the problem with police recruitment and retention. Cops are leaving because they have been disrespected and disempowered," said Jason Johnson, president of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund.
"If he believes that hiring and retaining more cops is necessary - and it is - he should start standing up for the men and women of law enforcement and stop perpetuating lies about this noble profession," he added.
Jonathan Thompson, executive director and CEO of the National Sheriffs' Association, said, "We implore the president to call for an end to the political demagoguery of both parties that is doing more harm than good. No responsible leader has called for the defunding of police, and now is the time to admit local law enforcement needs legitimate help. Political promises and complex, punitive legislative remedies that hurt law enforcement rather than help won't reduce crime."
In a statement to Secrets, he added, "Retirements and departures in the profession are at record levels, and not surprisingly crime has risen in record numbers. We don't need legislation that essentially nationalizes law enforcement. By hiding behind 'strings attached' funding and burdening communities with outrageous financial settlements that enrich trial lawyers we are at risk of completely undermining the rule of law."
Some law enforcement officials expressed surprise Biden did not have national police leaders at his White House meeting.
Biden said there is "no one-size-fits-all approach" and continued to push for hiring more police and eliminating illegal guns. Missing from the White House discussion so far has been a call to quiet liberal defunding efforts and other moves to punish police. Johnson said police find their jobs impossible to do as federal, state, and local officials tie their hands.
"They are subject to foolish, knee-jerk legislative action that will subject them to nearly unlimited personal liability and criminal prosecution just for doing their job. Young people who may otherwise be interested in serving in law enforcement now look elsewhere because police have been widely vilified in our culture, by media organizations, and by elected leaders at all levels. Biden has supported all of this in a number of ways," he said.
He noted retirements since the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis have soared. He said they jumped 65% in Austin, Texas, 130% in Cleveland, 20% in Chicago. Among Los Angeles sheriffs, resignations have jumped 62%.
Thompson - who, along with other law enforcement officials and executives, was a regular at the Trump era White House and often included in the former president's crime initiatives - suggested Biden approach the crime and police issues like former President Ronald Reagan with the military. "Now more than ever, we need the financial resources to recruit, train, hire, and retain the best and brightest who are sworn to protect us.