Ambushes on Cops Have Increased
Putting a stop to it is simpler than you might think
The police have always been society’s collective punching bag. They get kicked, punched, shot at, cussed at, spit on, and have projectiles -including those with human waste- hurled at them. An increased risk of injury and death is inherent to police work, and cops know this going in.
What’s happening now, however, is different. Violence towards cops has not only increased in recent years, but the acts are more deliberate and calculated.
Ambush-style attacks are unprovoked acts that occur without warning and without the inability of officers to defend themselves. The International Association of Chiefs of Police breaks down ambush-style attacks into two categories: premeditated and spontaneous, where an offender carries out the attack because they see an opportunity in the moment.
Ambush-style Attacks on Cops are Increasing
Just last month, Keona Holley, an officer with the Baltimore Police Department was sitting in her squad car when two men opened fire on her from behind. She lost her life a week later, leaving behind four children including a 10-year-old.
Officer Holley is not an outlier.
In 2021, there were 130 separate ambush-style attacks on police officers in which 103 of them were shot, the Fraternal Order of Police recently reported. Of these, 30 officers were killed. These numbers represent a 115% increase from 2020.
It’s not difficult to understand the upward trend.
Cops navigate a landscape where news outlets contort the truth, elected officials (including district attorneys and judges) use them as political pawns, and few -including those in police leadership positions- speak out on their behalf.
When a police officer falls, there’s little fanfare. Stories are unreported in the news and they often times fail to go viral on social media. There are few public vigils, rallies, or outrage.
Compounding this are bail reform initiatives, as well as prosecutors who dismiss cases before they can even be seen by a grand jury, judge or jury. A system of catch-and-release, where a cop makes an arrest and the suspect is out that very same day, has exasperated law enforcement and emboldened criminal offenders.
Some Politicians Get It
A select number of elected officials understand the urgency to protect our defenders. They know that without cops, we will descend into anarchy.
At the Federal Level
Last March, a group of U.S. senators led by North Carolina’s Senator Thom Tillis, reintroduced the Protect and Serve Act (S.774 / H.R. 3079) to address the swell of violence -including ambush-style attacks- directed at police officers. This bill, which was introduced in the U.S. House last May, would impose federal penalties on individuals who deliberately target police officers in specific circumstances.
At the State Level
To address the growing number of attacks and ambushes on police officers, Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida legislators created the Combatting Violence, Disorder and Looting and Law Enforcement Protection Act. It prohibits the distribution of state grants to any local government that slashes its police budget; and more importantly, makes striking a police officer during a violent or disorderly assembly punishable with a mandatory six-month jail sentence.
As Governor DeSantis told the press,
“We’re able to put people in jail if they riot or assault a police officer. And, in fact, you assault a police officer during a riot, you have a mandatory jail sentence of at least six months. We also have provisions to prevent mob intimidation tactics. I think it’s probably the most comprehensive piece of law and order legislation I’ve seen.”
Why Aren’t More Legislators On Board With This?
You’d think that every self-professed law and order politician would be following Governor DeSantis’s lead by drafting legislation to protect our guardians in their own states.
They’re not.
Over the past year, I’ve contacted a long list of Wisconsin state legislators, urging them to draft a law and order bill similar to what Florida initiated. My proposal was either met with silence or a We’ll pass.
Why is it that Florida can create legislation to protect cops, but elected officials in Wisconsin and other states can’t?
Granted, our representatives have full rosters. I’ve seen them. But then again, what’s more important than protecting cops, and by extension the public they serve?
Wisconsin legislators recently created the Pro-Cop Wisconsin Campaign, which provides monetary incentives to police officers to aid in recruitment and retention. While this is a nice way to recognize our heroes, it barely scratches the surface of the issues plaguing law enforcement.
And why has it taken Wisconsin representatives this long to create pro-police legislation? Police recruitment and retention started hemorrhaging circa 2014, and in 2015 the U.S. Department of Justice found that ambushes and attacks on cops had been on the rise. None of this is new.
The Burden is Also on We the People
Those of us who value law and order need to stand up for police officers. It’s quite simple: cops are a barrier between peace and chaos and without them, we can’t function adequately as a free nation.
The way we speak up is by urging our elected officials to create legislation that protects our protectors.
Lobby Your State Legislators
If you’re from Florida, you thankfully live in a state that is proactive about public safety. The rest of us have some work ahead of us.
Here’s what each of us needs to do: call, write, or visit our state’s legislators, urging them to pass legislation similar to Florida’s law and order act. We do it politely, but with conviction.
Lobbying Talking Points
Here are excerpts from a recent letter I sent to my own Wisconsin state legislators, asking that they sponsor law and order legislation. Feel free to use it for talking points, though it’s best if you use your own words.
"Your Pro-Cop Wisconsin Campaign is a good start, but it barely scratches the surface of the issues plaguing law enforcement. Your proposal is similar to what other states, including Florida, are doing to recognize our heroes and aid in recruitment and retention. Governor Ron DeSantis, however, has taken pro-police legislation further in the state of Florida.
(Merits of, and impetus for, “Combatting Violence, Disorder and Looting and Law Enforcement Protection Act”)
Though a monetary bonus might entice good applicants to apply to become police officers, money alone won’t keep them there. Officer morale has plummeted for reasons that have little to do with compensation.
(Discussion of problems plaguing law enforcement)
The solutions are actually quite simple and will require action from a number of parties.
(Discussion of the people’s role in protecting cops)
Legislators, however, need to take a much bigger role in supporting & protecting police officers.
Very broadly speaking, you can:
Create legislation similar to Florida’s law & order bill, making a jail sentence mandatory for assaulting an officer during a riot or unlawful event.
Meticulously study every piece of police legislation to weed out loopholes that punish cops for acting in good faith.
Amend Wisconsin’s bail system so that repeat offenders aren’t treating the court like a revolving door.
Fund mental health initiatives for police officers. As a group, cops experience higher instances of depression, anxiety, PTSD, alcoholism, and suicide.
Speak out for cops whenever they’re needlessly being attacked. Actually have their backs as they have ours.
(Urging that they speak with actual rank-and-file police officers, not just command officers and union officials; and how they have an opportunity to make impactful change)
(Details of my experience as a citizen advocate for law enforcement, a request for a meeting to discuss the proposal, and an offer to assist)
Make no mistake. We’re in a policing crisis, one that threatens our safety, civil liberties, and ability to function as a free nation. The good news is that this problem is solvable.