Posted on 01/29/2015 11:48:52 AM PST by jazusamo
Testifying in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday, Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke called on U.S. Attorney and Attorney General Nominee Loretta Lynch to rebuild the broken relationship between the Department of Justice and local law enforcement.
Citing Attorney General Eric Holder's involvement in Ferguson, Missouri over the summer, Clarke laid out a defense of police working in dangerous communities and called on Lynch to open lines of communication from Washington to cities around the country.
"I want to spend some time critiquing...Attorney General Eric Holder's tenure at the Department of Justice and use it as a framework as a way forward," Clarke said. "Incendiary rhetoric used by Eric Holder created a pathway for a false narrative that then became the rallying cry for cop haters across America. It sparked and justified hatred for America's law enforcement agents and its offices. Without a shred of evidence a broad brush has been used to unfairly malign the reputation of the professional policing in the United States. The accusation has been made that our communities systematically engage in the practice of targeting young black men because of the color of their skin. That claim is patently false. I reject out of hand the mere suggestion of it. If I'm wrong, someone needs to show me the evidence. Officers at the local level put on their uniforms and go out everyday to make their communities better and safer. Without them our communities would collapse into utter chaos."
Clarke also argued that the Department of Justice and the next attorney general must ensure that a proper and fair rule of law standard will be applied at the federal level when unfortunate incidents occur at the local level.
"Are cops perfect? No, in fact far from it, but they are the community's finest. Every community is unique in what will work and what will not work," Clarke said. "For the nation's sake, stop undermining the integrity and character of the American law enforcement officer."
Clarke isn't alone in his statements. Late last year, former assistant FBI director under Holder and current Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund President Ron Hosko, argued the same and called on President Obama to also play a role in the reestablishment of trust.
"It is my sincere hope that Ms. Lynch, if confirmed, will take immediate steps to begin repairing the rift created between the Obama Administration and the dedicated men and women of America’s law enforcement community," Hosko said in a statement. “The mere replacement of the attorney general is not enough. President Obama should demonstrate a re-commitment to the rule of law and a retreat from words and actions that signal a distrust of our law enforcement professionals. Early in his tenure and with no understanding of the underlying facts, he accused police of ‘acting stupidly’ in an engagement with a Harvard University professor, only to later learn of details that supported the police response. More recently, he sent three White House representatives to the funeral of Michael Brown, a young man who had just robbed a store and who reports suggest violently assaulted a police officer in an attempt to disarm him. By these words and actions, the president questions legitimate law enforcement authority, encouraging like-minded people to do the same, and widening the divide between police and the people they serve."
“We look forward to Loretta Lynch’s confirmation hearings to become the attorney general, but there’s no time to rejoice – significant damage has been done and there is much work ahead to undo it. The Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund stands ready to support important discussions between police and the Obama Administration to rebuild the trust that has so obviously been lost,” Hosko said.
A confirmation vote for Lynch is expected next month.
She, and every other democrat in the room, and half the republicans in the room, stopped listening at: “I want to spend some time critiquing...Attorney General Eric Holder...”
>>Very happy to see Sheriff Clarke at the hearing and speaking out, he says it like it is. <<
He will be summarily ignored except for a back-channel “get yo’ a$$ back on the Plantation, boy!”
Why would this guy waist his breath. He is totally not credible if he can’t see that this lady is Holder on steroids.
She has already said enough to indicate that she has no respect for the law. If he was credible then he would be demanding that she not be allowed to fill the position.
Say NO to the Dept of “Just Us!” being led by a literal LYNCH MOB!
Loretta Lynch is for OPEN borders, so she will be confirmed. She advocated breaking federal law, but Hatch, Graham & Flake already indicated they would confirm her.
She shouldn’t be confirmed but there’s little doubt she will be, McLame and Linda already think she’s the bee’s knees.
I agree.
bump
Sheriff David Clarke testifies before the US Senate in Loretta Lynch hearing.
FReep Mail me if you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list.
It’s not just the DOJ, it’s everywhere.
By Lt Daniel Furseth, DeForest, Wisconsin Police Department
Today, I stopped caring about my fellow man. I stopped caring about my community, my neighbors, and those I serve. I stopped caring today because a once noble profession has become despised, hated, distrusted, and mostly unwanted.
I stopped caring today because parents refuse to teach their kids right from wrong and blame us when they are caught breaking the law. I stopped caring today because parents tell their little kids to be good or “the police will take you away” embedding a fear from year one. Moms hate us in their schools because we frighten them and remind them of the evil that lurks in the world.
They would rather we stay unseen, but close by if needed, but readily available to “fix their kid.” I stopped caring today because we work to keep our streets safe from mayhem in the form of reckless, drunk, high, or speeding drivers, only to be hated for it, yet hated even more because we didn’t catch the drunk before he killed someone they may know.
Nevertheless, we are just another tool used by government to generate “revenue.” I stopped caring today because Liberals hate the police as we carry guns, scare kids, and take away their drugs. We always kill innocent people with unjust violence. We are called bullies for using a Taser during a fight, but are condemned further for not first tasing the guy who pulls a gun on us.
And if we do have to shoot, we are asked “why didn’t you just shoot the gun out of their hand?” And when one of us is killed by the countless attacks that do happen (but are rarely reported in the mainstream media) the haters say, “Its just part of the job.” I stopped caring today because Conservatives hate us as we are “the Government.” We try to take away their guns, freedoms, and liberty at every turn.
We represent a “Police State” where “jackbooted badge-wearing thugs” randomly attack innocent people without cause or concern for constitutional rights. We are Waco, Ruby Ridge, and Rodney King all rolled into one lone police officer stopping to help change an old lady’s tire. I stopped caring today as no one wants us around, but instantly demands answers, results, arrests, when a crime takes place.
If a crime isn’t solved within the allocated 60 minutes it takes CSI on television, we are inept, incompetent, or covering something up. If we do get “lucky” it was just that and everyone with a Facebook account can post wonderful comments of how “they” would solve the case and how “we” are not nearly as clever.
I stopped caring today because a video of a cop six states away, from a department that you never heard of, screws up and forgets his oath of honor, thus firing up an internet lynch-mob of cop haters even though 99% of us work twice as hard not to end up in the news and to still be “the good guys.” We are “militarized” because we wear body armor and kevlar helmets when shots are fired or rocks thrown at us and carry scary looking rifles even though everyone knows that they are easier to shoot and are more accurate than a handgun or a shotgun.
I stopped caring today because the culture of today’s instantly connected youth is only there to take and never give back. To never accept responsibility for ones actions, but to blame everyone else instead of themselves. To ask “what is in it for me?” versus “what can I do for you?”
To idolize gangsters, thugs, sexually promiscuous behavior, and criminals over hard work, dedication, and achievement. To argue that getting stoned should be a right, yet getting a job or an education is a hassle. To steal verus earn. To hate versus help. Yes, I stopped caring today. But tomorrow, I will put my uniform back on and I will care again
Rights include all acts that violate nobody else's rights - and getting stoned violates nobody else's rights.
ConservingFreedom “Getting stoned should be a right
Rights include all acts that violate nobody else’s rights - and getting stoned violates nobody else’s rights.”
That is not about Rights, it’s about the law. As soon as the law changes have at it. But look at the drug movement’s assistance in the fall of the USA by the drug addictions and crime increases and I don’t mean by Possession of Pot arrest.
Lt Daniel Furseth brought up the subject of rights - argue with him.
look at the drug movement’s assistance in the fall of the USA by the drug addictions and crime increases
I'm not sure what or who "the drug movement" is - but anti-drug laws have driven up prices, thus motivating more theft by addicts.
But some police like to remind us that “corruption is everywhere” while supporting it. Okay. There’s corruption on all sides, so keep the Public Integrity Section going, too, and give it more teeth. Deal, or no deal?
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