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Comments made by President Donald Trump perceived as tolerant of excessive police force have drawn criticism from high-profile law enforcement circles.
Local law enforcement officials are aware of the controversy that’s been generated, but expressed confidence that their own officers know what is expected of them and would never be swayed by presidential comments said in jest or otherwise.
The president was speaking at a gathering Friday in Suffolk County, N.Y. – east of New York City on Long Island – and was talking about recent arrests of MS-13 drug gang members when he made a reference that has drawn concern.
“And when you see these towns, and when you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon, you just see them thrown in, rough, I said, ‘Please don’t be too nice,’” Trump said. “Like, when you guys put somebody in the car and you’re protecting their head, you know, the way you put your hand over … like, don’t hit their head and they’ve just killed somebody. Don’t hit their head. I said, ‘You can take the hand away, O.K.?’”
The comments were a short aside in a longer speech that meandered over several topics, including the work done by Border Patrol agents. But it was the use of force comments that drew the greatest attention. Some officers seated behind the President applauded and cheered, and their response was also a source of concern that was expressed by national groups.
“Managing use of force is one of the most difficult challenges faced by law enforcement agencies. The ability of law enforcement officers to enforce the law, protect the public, and guard their own safety, the safety of innocent bystanders, and even those suspected or apprehended for criminal activity is very challenging,” reads a statement issued in response by the International Association of Chiefs of Police. “For these reasons, law enforcement agencies develop policies and procedures, as well as conduct extensive training, to ensure that any use of force is carefully applied and objectively reasonable considering the situation confronted by the officers.”
IACP did not specifically reference Trump in its comments, but other police organizations and law enforcement executives did as tweets and public statements piled up through the weekend.
Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Jerry Larpenter viewed Trump’s comments but said he was generally unperturbed.
“We all do that, we put their heads so we don’t bump them, nobody wants to be accused of police brutality,” Larpenter said, noting that his officers now have body cameras. “We do treat suspects nicely because we don’t want to be sued.”
Whether Trump’s comments were meant to be humorous or not makes little difference for Houma Police Chief Dana Coleman, who is also president of the Louisiana Association of Chiefs of Police Officers.
“In the wake of already heightened tension and fractured relationships between law enforcement and the community, this is definitely not the message our nation’s leader should be sending or joking about,” Coleman said. “We should be building relationships and treating people with humility and respect. Regardless of any situation, the concept of violence is not what we should be encouraging.”
Houma attorney William F. Dodd, who represents that Sheriff’s Office – although supportive of Trump’s candidacy – was taken aback by the president’s statement.
“I’ve represented law enforcement officers for 33 years,” Dodd said. “And the president’s statement was an insult to all we strive to do to ensure the rights of all citizens, whether we are protecting them or effecting an arrest.”
Whatever their response to the recent comments, local law officials said they have confidence in Trump’s overall support for law enforcement and are far less bothered by off-handed comments than what they have perceived as many slights during the prior administration.
“Such comments made in isolation are not helpful,” Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre said. “But my impression and the impression of most of my colleagues is that the administration as a whole is very solidly in support of law enforcement for the right reasons. Whether he went off scrip or made an unartful comment, people will try to misrepresent the administration’s position. And the administration’s position for the prior eight years was rife with restrictions, limitations and criticisms of local law enforcement. State and local law enforcement were not well supported.”
Webre said simple gestures such as blue lights on the white house during National Police Week have gone a long way toward helping morale. The President’s recent signing of bills making hiring of veterans by law enforcement agencies easier and increasing benefits for officers injured in the line of duty or to their families if killed, Webre said, speak more to the fabric of the administration.
“Talk is cheap and rhetoric comes and goes in the 24 hour news cycle,” Webre said. “This president’s actions are consistent.”
