The news out of Houston hit the profession like a ton of bricks. Four officers had been shot in one incident and another injured.
We have been here before. In 2016, we suffered greatly with the deadly ambush of Dallas area police officers that killed five and injured nine others. Just a week later, we watched as six more Baton Rouge area officers were shot.
Three gave the ultimate sacrifice.
I’m often asked as I travel the country, when the pendulum of the hate and rhetoric against law enforcement will “swing back” to common sense and a respect for the men and women behind the badge will return?
If it will not swing back in the wake of multiple police officers being gunned down in city after city, will it ever?
Last night, Houston Police Union President Joe Gamaldi, took to the microphone in the wake of four Houston Officers being shot.
“We are sick and tired of having targets on our back. We are sick and tired of having dirtbags trying to take our lives when all we’re trying to do is protect this community and protect our families. Enough is enough…..And for the ones who are out there spreading the rhetoric that police officers are the enemy, well just know we’ve all got your number now and we’re going to be keeping track of all y’all and we’re going to be making sure we’re going to be holding you accountable every time you stir the pot on our police officers.”
I couldn’t agree more…..”Enough is Enough.”
Enough of the Rhetoric.
Enough of using social media to lie and destroy.
Enough of using the faces of law enforcement as the enemy.
Enough of politicians and police leaders using our heroes behind the badge as pawns in their on going pandering to activists.
Enough of our so called leaders replacing sound officer safety training with the flavor of the month demanded by those that know nothing about the profession.
Enough of good men and women doing their job correctly and fairly and legally but being fired or even prosecuted because of weak and cowardly leaders.
I appreciate President Joe Gamaldi’s message and the fact that it took a Union President to say it and not 1000 Police Chief’s collectively saying it says something about the current state of leadership in law enforcement.
So let Joe’s words be a rallying call to you.
Law Enforcement is done being kicked around.
We will no longer be the pawns of coward politicians that use us to rally their base with a fabricated and hateful message that we are somehow the problem.
Just as President Gamaldi said, If you lie about this great profession, you are “stirring up” the violence and if you don’t agree with that then you have no idea what cop killers have said and done in recent years.
The FBI even reported that one-third of the cop killers are the product of this rhetoric but good luck finding any of those facts in the media.
Enough is Enough is our message and if I have anything to do with it, I will make sure that law enforcement never rests until we train, support and treat our heroes with all of the respect that they justly deserve.
You can purchase the above photo as a decal here. We are grateful to Tactical Frontliner for the image.
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