Free Republic

Speaking at the G20 Summit in China Monday, President Obama weighed in on 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's refusal to stand for the National Anthem before games, saying the "young man" is simply exercising his constitutional rights. Obama also said Kaepernick's actions are hard for military members and those who have served to "get past." "My understanding at least is that heÂ’s exercising his constitutional right to make a statement," Obama said. "If nothing else what heÂ’s done is heÂ’s generated more conversation around some topics that need to be talked about." "As a general matter when it comes to the...

"Santa Clara Police Officers’ Association (SCPOA) has threatened to boycott San Francisco 49ers home games if they fail to react to comments made by quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who refuses to stand for the national anthem to protest perceived racial injustices. SCPOA penned an open letter to the 49ers in response to remarks made by Kaepernick in reference to his refusal to stand for the national anthem in protest at US race relations. The association provides security to San Francisco 49ers guests, players and fellow employees at Levi's stadium, the team’s training camp and headquarters. The letter also took issue with...

A new poll undercuts one of the foundational principles of the Black Lives Matter movement, which views police as antagonists of black Americans. The Aug. 31 Marquette University Law School poll found that while there were differences in how whites and non-whites view police, majorities in both demographic groups support law enforcement. The poll of 803 registered Wisconsin voters came days after civil unrest in Milwaukee that followed the police shooting of a black man. In that case, 23-year-old Sylville Smith was shot dead after he ran from officers and pulled a gun, with officials saying the body cameras worn...

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Fresno County Sheriff's Department has confirmed that two officers were injured in an active shooter situation at the Fresno County jail in Downtown Fresno. Authorities said Thong Vang of Fresno shot Correctional Officers Juanita Davila and Toamalama Scanlan around 8:30 a.m.

As Justice Department civil rights lawyers held a meeting to talk about overhauling the Baltimore police department, another group of Baltimore residents gathered to beg the police to fix the crime in their neighborhoods. The meetings show a disconnect between those who are concerned about crime and those worried about police reform, reports the Washington Post. Neither group was aware the other one was meeting.

Small planes outfitted with video cameras have been flying over Baltimore since January, capturing activity on the streets below and relaying the footage to police to help them catch criminals. The public knew nothing about it until this week — when Bloomberg Businessweek ran a cover story about the trial program. Airplane used to conduct wide area surveillance. Persistent Surveillance Systems The revelations triggered outrage from elected officials, defense lawyers and the American Civil Liberties Union, who said the program raised privacy concerns and could aggravate public distrust in a city that exploded in riots last year after the death...

After threatening to sue, the Chicago Tribune has obtained data from the city’s police department that tracks every time an officer has opened fire in the city over the past six years. The vast majority of those hit were black men or boys. There were 435 police shootings from 2010 through 2015, in which officers killed 92 people and wounded 170 others. In all, officers fired 2,623 bullets. The newspaper’s findings show about four out of every five people shot were African-American males. It found that about half of the officers involved were African-American or Hispanic and most of them...

The largest union representing New York City police officers has awarded its man of the year honor to an outspoken black conservative and supporter of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke, known for his criticisms of the Black Lives Matter movement as well as President Obama, was named Man of the Year by the New York Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association. Annual honors in the past have often gone to elected leaders or lawmen with New York ties — such as the 2015 award to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo or to former New York Police Department Commissioner...

Charlotte, NC — A community and family is mourning the loss of Daniel Kevin Harris, whose life was taken this week by a State Trooper who apparently fears sign language. Harris, who is deaf and mute, was gunned down in front of his house. According to police, trooper Jermaine Saunders attempted to pull Harris over around 6:14 p.m. on Thursday. For an unknown reason, Harris did not stop and, instead, drove to his home. During the pursuit, both cars became damaged and eventually came to a stop near Harris’ home. “I was here in my driveway and I saw the...

Man Fatally Shot by Kelso Police Kelso, WA - The man shot and killed by a police officer Wednesday in Kelso has been identified as a 27-year-old homeless man who has connections to Spokane. A Kelso police officer fatally shot Omer Ismail Ali after Ali allegedly attacked a gas station clerk, customer and the officer with a walking stick, the Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office said in a news release. Ali died of a gunshot wound to the chest, according to the results of an autopsy performed Friday. Ali, who immigrated to the U.S. from Sudan as a refugee in...

U.S. District Judge James Robart, pointedly reacting to the Seattle police union’s rejection of a tentative contract, said Monday he would not let the powerful labor group hold the city “hostage” by linking wages to constitutional policing. “To hide behind a collective- bargaining agreement is not going to work,” Robart said during a dramatic court hearing he opened by laying out a path for police-accountability reform and closed with an emotional declaration that “black lives matter.” Robart, who is presiding over a 2012 consent decree requiring the city to adopt reforms to address Department of Justice allegations of excessive force...

Rio police: A security guard did point a gun at US swimmers but there was no robbery.

"It's obvious that recent events — from Dallas and Baton Rouge to Milwaukee and across the country — underscore how difficult and important the work is ahead of us to repair the bonds of trust and respect between our police officers and our communities," Clinton said. "We have to be clear-eyed about the challenges we face. We can't ignore them, and certainly we must not inflame them."

Growing up, I watched a lot of Westerns. In addition to the cowboy hero, the town sheriff was almost always a model of integrity. He stood for law and order against bank robbers, cattle rustlers and horse thieves all trying to disrupt the peace. A contemporary and real-life version of those fictional characters is Sheriff David Clarke of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Clarke has been trying to restore law and order after several nights of rioting following the shooting death of 23-year-old Sylville Smith by a Milwaukee police officer. Smith had a lengthy criminal record, longer than some people's resumes. He...

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Madison police say a suspected drunken driver disobeyed an order to get out of her car and instead cracked open a beer in front of the officer who stopped her. Police say an officer on foot spotted an SUV driving fast early Wednesday on State Street near downtown Madison, where regular traffic is not allowed. The officer jumped into her car and pulled the driver over.

Donald Trump says his plan to heal relations between law enforcement and minority communities begins with a respect for police, tougher law-and-order tactics, extensive community dialogue and economic growth that can generate jobs for frustrated inner-city neighborhoods. Click here to read more on Circa.

Trump Hillary Clinton is against the police

Tuesday, August 16, 2016: Live stream coverage of the Donald J. Trump for President rally in West Bend, WI at the Ziegler Building at the Washington County Fair Park & Conference Center. Live coverage begins at 7:30 PM CT. West Bend, WI Watch the LIVE stream and FULL replay of the event below: Washington County Fair Park & Conference Center

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Police Tuesday arrested two men who were allegedly seen dressed in full tactical gear threatening to ambush officers. Two armed black men were seen about 12:45 a.m. dressed in military garb walking on Century Boulevard between Yukon Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard in Inglewood, according to police. While the men carried “assault-type gear”, officers monitored their activity but took no action for the safety of several bystanders watching, according to Inglewood Police Lt. Greg Held. The men were reportedly walking the neighborhood in a Black Lives Matter-type protest. The men were taken into custody for questioning shortly...

But Milwaukee Police Chief Edward A Flynn insists the footage makes it clear that the shooting was lawful. He said that Smith was shot after he turned toward an officer and raised his gun. Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett, speaking at a press conference on Monday, added that a still from the cop's body camera shows 'without question' Smith had a gun in his hand.