SCPD should trust its officers

I was mortified reading the statement by State College Police Department administrators regarding our president’s speech to law enforcement on MS-13 in our nation.

The POTUS gave a powerful speech that praised law enforcement officers for their work, commitment and the risks they take to keep us safe. Our POTUS made one joke that officers didn’t have to give really violent gang members a hand to protect their head going into a cruiser. He didn’t say to harm defendants and the public isn’t stupid. We knew it was a joke. I know our good officers here won’t change their discipline in keeping defendants in custody safe because of a joke.

President Donald Trump has done more for LEOs in the past six months than President Obama did in eight years. Police administrators need to care less about political correctness and more about caring for innocent lives and the officers under their command. They need to care less about grandstanding and concentrate on their oath to serve and protect.

Where was SCPD’s statement on Barack Obama refusing to turn the White House blue for more than eight years? Where was SCPD’s statement on Obama and Hillary Clinton’s remarks on police shootings and immediately insinuating there was color bias and all officers needed retraining?

SCPD administrators need to be unbiased and non-political or publicly address both sides of presidential comments that affect LEOs! May I suggest a quote from our POTUS, “Don’t be pathetic (leaders). Just let the cops do their job!” We trust them. You should too.

This story was originally published August 5, 2017 at 8:47 PM with the headline "SCPD should trust its officers."