Police Union Demand Protection Under Federal Hate Crimes Law

[Onthemark]

In the wake of the murder of two New York City police officers and a national debate about policing, the National Fraternal Order of Police is asking for the Congressional hate crimes statute to be expanded to include crimes against police officers.

The Fraternal Order of Police, with over 300,000 members, said in the wake of the killings of two New York Police Department NYPD officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu on December 20. the 1969 Hate Crimes Act should include targeted assassinations.

"Right now, it's a hate crime if you attack someone solely because of the color of their skin, but it ought to be a hate crime if you attack someone solely because of the color of their uniform as well," said Jim Pasco, the executive director of the National Fraternal Order of Police.

Currently a hate crime is described by Congress as a criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offenders bias against a race, religion, disability, ethnic origin or sexual orientation.

The organization who have been fighting for a more severe punishment for those who harm law enforcement officers argues that ambush attacks like the one in the NYPD officers last month was motivated by hatred of the police.

"My thoughts and prayers over the past few weeks have been with the families of officers who were, with malice and forethought, gunned down just because they served as police officers, Chuck Canterbury, the president of the union, said in a statement. "Enough is enough! It's time for Congress to do something to protect the men and women who protect us," Canterbury added.

 

[missbishi]

I think that the punishments handed out for attacking a police officer are far more severe than those handed out for "hate crimes" anyway, so I'm not sure what the point of this is. It could even make things worse. Imagine that a hate crime occurs against two people, one police officer and one black man. It's obvious right from the start that the perpetrator of the police shooting will receive a harsher punishment. This could easily start even more accusations of racism and inequality.

 

[Onionman]

I'm not sure whether a "hate crime" approach particularly fits in the same way as it does with minorities that are under-protected by the law. Yes, the police have been targeted in certain situations but the judicial system already has tough sentencing for attacks on police, and is far keener to track down assailants in these kind of attacks than any other kind of hate crime.

 

[Peninha]

I agree that it's starting to be a hate crime, people are crazy against the police and measures should be taken about that.

 

[warmweatherwoman]

Hate Crime? Really? I mean they give life for shooting a police dog these days...hate crimes don't get that kind of punishment for a crime against a human...this is stupid!

 

[Kamarsun1]

I think that the punishments handed out for attacking a police officer are far more severe than those handed out for "hate crimes" anyway, so I'm not sure what the point of this is. It could even make things worse. Imagine that a hate crime occurs against two people, one police officer and one black man. It's obvious right from the start that the perpetrator of the police shooting will receive a harsher punishment. This could easily start even more accusations of racism and inequality.

I agree 100%. crimes against police receive much more punishment they the regular citizens, so what's the point, what do they want an instant death penalty. Until we fix the problem we have with race in america there will always be tension between the people and the government officials, or as I like to call them, public servants, they work for us, it's not the other way around.