Baltimore Police Union: Cops More Afraid Of Going To Jail Than Getting Shot
The president of the Baltimore police union on Thursday said that criminals have become "empowered" following the recent unrest and that, with six officers charged in Freddie Gray's death, city police are more "afraid" of being arrested than shot on duty.
Gray, 25, died a week after suffering a severed spinal cord and other injuries in police custody. His death led to more than a week of protests and later rioting, that prompted a citywide curfew and the deployment of the National Guard.
"The criminals are taking advantage of the situation in Baltimore since the unrest," said Gene Ryan, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 3. "Criminals feel empowered now. There is no respect. Police are under siege in every quarter. They are more afraid of going to jail for doing their jobs properly than they are of getting shot on duty."
cComments
Clearly the police are pouting a bit, but can you blame them? That is a dangerous-ass city to patrol, irrespective of the political climate. Now they feel resentment from the public they protect and abandoned by slimy politicians. Hard to keep your game face on under those circumstances.
The union released the statement on Twitter a day after the officers charged in Gray's death filed a motion to have the trial moved out of Baltimore. Police commissioner Anthony W. Batts apologized to the union Monday night for putting officers in harm's way.
Read the full story: www.baltimoresun.com
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