National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) President Michael McHale lambasted Democratic leaders nationwide at the Republican National Convention Wednesday blaming them for the “chaos” that has occurred in American cities recently.
The death of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake have sparked mass anti-police protests and riots across the country. In the aftermath of Floyd’s death, police morale drastically declined, according to multiple police union officials.
“Chaos results when elected officials in cities like Portland, Minneapolis, Chicago, and New York make the conscious and very public decision not to support law enforcement,” said McHale, who is also the president of the southwest Florida chapter of the Police Benevolent Association. “Shootings, murders, looting and rioting occur unabated.”
He continued: “The violence we are seeing in these and other cities isn’t happening by chance; it’s the direct result of elected leaders refusing to allow law enforcement to protect our communities.” (RELATED: Debate Rages On Police Reform, Role Of Police Unions In Wake Of Floyd’s Death)
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McHale also attacked Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris for their views on law enforcement.
“I’m shocked and disgusted by how far left Joe Biden has swung and how anti-law enforcement he has become,” said McHale. “And Kamala Harris’ legislation to further restrict police would make our American communities and streets even more dangerous than they already are.”
He added: “Like many others on the left who want to defund the police, Senator Harris’ legislation provides less training, not more, for law enforcement.”
Harris said departments should be “reimagined” when asked about defunding the police in June.
Founded in 1978, NAPO is a coalition of police unions and associations, according to the organization’s website. It represents more than 241,000 law enforcement personnel and 1,000 police associations nationwide.
NAPO officially endorsed President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign for president on July 15, according to a letter addressed to Trump posted on the organization’s website.
“Our endorsement recognizes your steadfast and very public support for our men and women on the front lines, especially during this time of unfair and inaccurate opprobrium being directed at our members by so many,” the letter said.
The New York Police Benevolent Association, the largest police union in the United States, endorsed Trump on Aug. 14. It was the union’s first presidential endorsement in at least 36 years, according to its president Michael Lynch.
“We need your strong voice across the country to say, ‘We have the support of law enforcement across this country,’” Lynch told Trump at the endorsement event.
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