Free Republic

The union called Florida Gov Ron DeSantis the 'most effective' governor in the country The largest police union in the state of Florida announced Monday that it is backing Gov. Ron DeSantis for president after previously supporting former President Trump. In a press release announcing the presidential endorsement, Florida Police Benevolent Association President John Kazanjian called DeSantis the "most effective governor in the nation" who will "make public safety a top priority in the White House." "In major cities and communities across America, many Americans are grappling with increased crime rates that not only jeopardize public safety, but also threaten...

In the wake of George Floyd's death, police unions are coming under fire from the political left as impediments to the reform of a system many claim is racist, as politicians and organizations say the groups are more interested in protecting their members than the public. The tension is no more clear than in Minneapolis, ground zero for the recent unrest, where City Council member Steve Fletcher -- a leader in calls there to disband the city's police department -- took Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis President Bob Kroll to task over a letter sent to members of his union...

Voters reject half-cent sales tax by 74 percent. Pueblo police and fire union members don't plan to lobby city council for more money in lieu of a public safety tax failing.

Scranton could be headed towards another fiscal crisis like the one that resulted in city workers having their pay cut to minimum wage in 2012... Moody’s warned investors that Scranton could be facing the threat of default or bankruptcy thanks to a $20 million budget gap for the fiscal year that begins Jan. 1. The city is supposed to approve a new budget by Nov. 15, which would have to close that deficit to balance the budget. ... A similar crisis hit the city in July 2012, which lead to Mayor Chris Doherty cutting all city workers’ pay to minimum...

After being struck by a projectile at Tuesday's Occupy Oakland evictions, Iraq war veteran Scott Olsen is lucid and awaiting brain surgery. The Guardian reports Olsen "responded with a very large smile" when his parents arrived from Wisconsin to visit him at the hospital. Medical officials say Olsen's able to write and hear, but is having trouble speaking. Meanwhile, Oakland's Mayor Jean Quan who left town after authorizing the raid, has separated herself from the police. Quan said, "I only asked the chief to do one thing: to do it when it was the safest for both the police and...

A police officer is being investigated after being caught on tape beating a videographer outside of his home in March. A Las Vegas police department review found that Officer Derek Colling violated police policies when he used 'excessive force' on Mitchell Crooks. The incident happened on the night of March 20 when Mr Crooks, 36, was in his driveway videotaping police as they investigated a burglary report across the street. Mr Crooks said that when he refused to stop filming, Mr Colling arrested and beat him, with the sounds of the altercation recorded by the camera. In the video, Mr...

Mayor Richard Berry’s administration is kicking union leaders out of an office in the police headquarters Downtown. The move comes after Darren White, Albuquerque’s director of public safety, directed the police and fire chiefs to ensure that no city equipment or property is used by labor organizations. The city has provided rent-free office space to the Albuquerque Police Officers’ Association for several years, the administration said. “We think unions ought to be doing things on their own time and their own dime,” said Rob Perry, the top administrator under the mayor. Union leaders say they will abide by the directive....

...no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution (emphasis added) The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the land…. No person shall be disturbed in his private affairs, or his home invaded, without authority of law. Sections 3 and 8 of the “Declaration of Rights” from the Arizona State Constitution’s “Declaration of Rights” People seeking to defend the manifestly indefensible often sabotage themselves by disclosing critical details...

(Updated) City Hall has turned down a last-minute offer from the police union to save 16 cops’ jobs following a raucous march by 200 cops through downtown streets. Police Union President Louis Cavaliere made that announcement around 1:15 p.m. Thursday as he emerged from a pow-wow with the 16 cops inside the police substation on City Hall’s first floor. Before that, Cavaliere and other union brass had spent more than an hour upstairs in Mayor John DeStefano’s office. Cavaliere said the union asked the mayor to hold off on the layoffs another two months while the two sides negotiate a...

Basically, a female Detroit officer was charged with felonious and aggravated assault. Eventually, the Sgt. would plead no contest to aggravated assault, a misdemeanor. Detroit PD fired her and she was higher immediately by another department and now promoted to Deputy Chief. Plus throw in she is suing Detroit for firing her from the police. Highland Park Mayor Hubert Yopp states he did not know this officer was charged with a felony before she was hired. However, the Highland Park knew about her criminal background and still hired her. Highland Park Chief Police Lorenzo Veal II, who was promoted...

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Sheriff's deputies in Los Angeles County are being directed to avoid chasing armed suspects under a new policy to reduce shootings by deputies. The new guidelines, to be unveiled Wednesday, advise that deputies try to contain a suspect then call for back up.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – A multiracial group of police officers stood with the white officer who arrested a black Harvard scholar and asked President Barack Obama and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick apologize for comments union leaders called insulting. Officers say they resent any implication that race played a role in Sgt. James Crowley's arrest of Henry Louis Gates Jr. at his home near Harvard University last week. At a news conference Friday, union leaders said Crowley acted appropriately when he arrested the scholar for disorderly conduct. .. Obama said the officers "acted stupidly." Patrick, the state's first black governor, said the...

Vest, shirt, badge - check. Pants, boots, gun belt - check. About 800 Phoenix police officers and up to 400 Mesa officers believe changing into and out of their uniforms each day is doing work, so they've sued in federal court to be paid for their time. U.S. District Judge Neil V. Wake ruled in April that the Mesa Police Association shouldn't receive any money, according to court records, but the union has recently appealed the ruling to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The lawsuit has cost Mesa more than $187,600 to fight so far, according to public...

Scottsdale made a deal with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and the Arizona Department of Public Safety in January to ignore their own speed violations snapped by the city’s pilot Loop 101 photo enforcement system. The arrangement meant sheriff’s office and DPS vehicles exceeding the posted 65 mph speed limit on Loop 101 received a free pass, even though in some cases police officials admitted the speeding might not have been justified. Some of the speeds recorded were significant, up to 117 mph. Since the high-profile camera system was turned on Jan. 22, city records show that 16 emergency vehicles...

The city of Oakland on Tuesday delayed a vote on whether to declare a state of emergency to allow the police chief to deploy more officers at all hours despite an ongoing labor dispute with a police union. Negotiations collapsed between the union and the police department over Mayor Jerry Brown's plan to redeploy some desk duty officers to the streets and create a late night tactical unit to combat a rising murder rate. The emergency declaration proposal would allow Oakland Police Chief Wayne Tucker to assign officers to the 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. shift despite objections from the...