The Pain of Losing One of New York's Finest
Plus free speech for everyone except police officers?
The biggest police story this week is the tragic fatal shooting of New York Police Officer Jonathan Diller, who was shot in the stomach during a routine traffic stop. The perpetrator, as you probably know by now, is an ex-con with 21 priors.
Along with an unrelenting grief, there is rightful outrage, including from Officer Diller’s brethren in blue. Vincent Vallelong, president, Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA) had this to say,
“I’m sure that many elected officials will attend PO Diller’s funeral, shed a few crocodile tears, and prominently seat themselves for a good photo opportunity," SBA President Vincent Vallelong wrote in a letter to union members. "The sad reality is we don’t want them there.”
And,
“Despite their admonitions to the contrary, the 'leadership' in the Council has failed city residents, workers, and visitors at every turn," Vallelong wrote. "They are blinded by their own hatred and twisted ideology."
Good for SBA!
The last thing people want to hear or see when they’re grieving are hollow words from hollow people who helped create the landscape that embolden criminals.
These elected officials and decision makers don’t get to demoralize law enforcement for years, attempt to defund them, micromanage them, and accuse them of being monsters while simultaneously coddling violent offenders via bail “reform” laws, then try to pivot and feign sadness.
At least some New Yorkers understand these concepts. Hannah Meyers penned a thoughtful article for City Journal, in which she writes:
“Instead of reading this fact as evidence that police prevent crime, Williams and city and state leadership ignore the failures of de-policing; of bail, parole, and discovery reforms; and of gutting enforcement for “low-level offenses”—like Monday’s idling in a bus stop. Instead, they self-righteously maintain their idiotic search for root causes at the expense of actual public safety.”
She’s right. These policies are what lead to Officer Diller’s death, to the rise in shootings and attacks on police officers, to the increase in heinous crimes, and to the fall of our nation’s greatest city centers.
You don’t have to be an expert to understand that those who experience violence at an early age carry that trauma throughout adulthood, and that it causes changes in brain chemistry. It’s tragic and wrong, and they deserve our empathy.
That doesn’t, however, give anyone the license to kill, rape, or maim. Let these perpetrators get the help they need, but behind bars, where they’re no longer a threat to an unsuspecting public.
Another thing that struck me this past week is that even after a high profile shooting of a police officer, there has been no movement on the Protect & Serve Act (H.R. 743) or any other key piece of police and public safety legislation.
What, exactly, are they waiting for?
Police Officers Shouldn’t Have to Choose Between Expressing Their First Amendment Rights and Their Livelihoods
In my last post, I mentioned a newly-introduced House bill called the Public Safety Free Speech Act (H.R. 7398), which was crafted to protect the First Amendment rights of police officers and other first responders.
My presser for the National Police Association is here if you’d like to read more about it.
H.R. 7398 was written in response to the rise in disciplinary actions, including termination, being taken against police officers and other first responders who exercise their First Amendment rights. The bill maintains that they can’t be terminated or disciplined for lawful self-expression (the bill also stipulates other limits) while off-duty. Impacted officers would be eligible to sue their agencies for damages and attorney fees.
Someone pointed out to me that a police agency might try to find other ways (like not considering the officer for a promotion) to punish a cop for speaking freely. The bill states "any adverse employment action,” which would likely cover this.
Still, this is an excellent point, and I could easily see how some agencies might try to skirt this language. I plan to pose this to Rep. Jeff Van Drew’s (bill’s author) staff and will keep you posted.
Also, keep in mind that the bill is still in its preliminary stages, and there are still opportunities to offer amendments and tighten the bill’s language. Even as the bill stands now, it does offer some protection from interdepartmental politics.
I plan to do a deep dive on this topic. If you have a story you’d like to share, I’d love to chat. Please write me at fortheblue@substack.com if interested. I’m in the midst of preparing to help launch a police and public safety action center with Independent Women’s Network, so I won’t get to this until after National Police Week.
Good for Atlanta Police Department!
Yesterday, the Atlanta Police Department and Fire Department rescued two people who had climbed atop construction equipment in protest of the Atlanta Public Safety Center. The irony.
What caught my attention was the verbiage APD used in its social media post. Bolded content is mine.
“In a coordinated effort, Atlanta Police and Fire Rescue teams were compelled to intervene and remove two anarchists who had scaled construction equipment to protest the construction of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.”
Thank you, APD, for labeling this unacceptable behavior for what it is. Excusing unlawful acts only breeds more of the same.
Parting thought . . .
We can, and should, grieve for Officer Diller and other police officers who are getting caught up in this hostile landscape. The thing is, this story will exit the news cycle in a few days, yet things will remain the same. Criminal offenders who should be behind bars will continue to terrorize police officers and civilians without giving it a second thought.
This scenario won’t change until more of us speak out. That’s pretty much a given. If you haven’t already, please call or write to your congressperson, urging co-sponsorship of the Protect and Serve Act.
Wishing you a blessed Easter holiday.
Best. : )
For the Blue is a solutions-based initiative. I’m just an American patriot asking questions. I don’t work with any political party and I answer to nobody. For me, the health of the nation, due process (including for police officers), the rule of law, and respect for individual liberties, will always transcend party affiliation. I welcome your thoughts, even if you disagree; though personal attacks will be ignored. You can reach me at fortheblue@substack.com.