Top Police Union: Violence Against Cops Should Be A Hate Crime

Some police officers turn their backs as Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks during the funeral of New York Police Department Officer Wenjian Liu, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Liu and his partne... Some police officers turn their backs as Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks during the funeral of New York Police Department Officer Wenjian Liu, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Liu and his partner, officer Rafael Ramos, were killed Dec. 20 as they sat in their patrol car on a Brooklyn street. The shooter, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, later killed himself. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

One of the nation’s top police unions called Monday for Congress to add violence against police officers to federal hate crime laws.

The move comes as police officers are feelingly increasingly scrutinized after high-profile shootings of African-Americans and last month’s killing of two New York City police officers.

“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, president of the National Fraternal Order of Police, said in a statement. “Enough is enough! It’s time for Congress to do something to protect the men and women who protect us.”

The union has advocated for the position in the past, it said, but is renewing its push after the recent killings.

The policy would increase penalties for those convicted of crimes if they “select their victims because they are or are perceived to be police officers,” according to the union.

Latest Livewire
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: