At least 100 police agencies are pulling out of agreements to send personnel to next month’s Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Milwaukee, partly over concerns that officers will be unable to use tear gas to control crowds under a recent directive.
The law enforcement agencies in Wisconsin and across the country who are set to withdraw from the security agreements had previously said they will send officers to bolster security at the DNC, which will run from Aug. 17-20 at the Wisconsin Center in downtown Milwaukee.
The move follows an order from the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission last week, which directed Chief Alfonso Morales to revise the police department procedures—including prohibiting the use of tear gas and pepper spray. The order threatens Morales’s termination if he fails to comply “fully and promptly.”
The order came amid intense scrutiny of police tactics at protests and riots in Portland, Oregon, and elsewhere in recent weeks, following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in late May.
Morales announced the news of the agencies’ withdrawal in an interview with WTMJ-TV, citing concerns over the order prohibiting the police use of pepper spray and tear gas at demonstrations. He didn’t elaborate on which law enforcement agencies plan to pull out.
The convention has been scaled down to a mostly virtual event due to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic, with about 300 people expected to attend in person. Most of the speeches will be delivered online from other locations, though former Vice President Joe Biden has said he will be in Milwaukee to accept the nomination. Despite the event’s smaller scale, police are preparing for potentially large protests in and around the venue.
The Epoch Times reached out to the Milwaukee police oversight commission, the Milwaukee Police Department, and the convention for comment, but did not immediately hear back.
Fond du Lac Police Chief William Lamb, who chairs the Wisconsin Police Executive Group, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he expects other Wisconsin police agencies to withdraw from the security agreements.
“We respect the Fire and Police Commission’s decision. But in this particular case, we strongly disagree with the actions they’ve taken,” Lamb said.
He said he was concerned that the safety of the public and police officers could be compromised.
“We believe in removing those tools, the use of chemical irritants or pepper spray, from the available resources that the law enforcement officers would have at their disposal if protests become non-peaceful would severely compromise the safety of the public and also the safety of the law enforcement officers who would be assigned to protect the DNC,” he added.
Other police departments, such as the Madison Police Department which originally committed to providing 100 officers to Milwaukee, decided to pull out over CCP virus concerns.
According to the Wisconsin State Journal, the department notified Milwaukee early this month that “an accelerating COVID-19 pandemic coupled with ongoing protests in Madison” had strained its resources, making it impossible to commit resources to the convention.
Well duhhh!!!! The Democrats want to defund the police so let the Democrats defend themselves!!! I wouldn’t send my officers into such a horrible scene. And if I was an insuring company I would cancel all insurance policies in the whole state immediately!!!
Long past due.
Remember the old adage ? You reap what you sow. I’m just waiting for Jo(k)e Bye-then to blather in coherently at the debates.
Jo(k)e thinks that the debates are what you need to “catch de fish.” OK. I’m all done here.
Well, why shouldn’t these idiots (DNC) have to suffer the consequences of their own moronic policies. I hope all police departments take a proverbial knee on this.
No one should blame the cops for this. I sure don’t. The stinking Democrats who have been supporting the criminals all along are trying to handcuff the police and prevent them from doing the job which also happens to put the cops at higher risk. As far as I’m concerned the Democrats deserve no protection and can suffer the result.
Dems reap what U sow, no to police defensive measure, YOU Guard your event, use your own guards OK
Have Fun, send the police to the RNC since we can use backup forces anyway.
Or go on strike in Milwaukee
Milwaukee translated means “3rd rate outhouse” in some obscure native American language. Under the current conditions there,I am not sure you could pay anyone enough to protect the Demonrats. Let that huge crowd of 300 hire some socially acceptable community patrols to handle the action. GOOD LUCK.
Our law enforcement officers are getting hurt, maimed and killed! They should be able to defend themselves and innocent people, so I don’t blame any of them for not participating at the Democrat Convention.
Maybe Antifa could guard the convention?
Two things…I don’t see any details of which 100 agencies are pulling out, leading me to believe the number is there for hype. Second, at the end of the story it appears at least one department is citing COVID-19, and NOT inability to use crowd controls mentioned in paragraph one, as the reason for their withdrawal.
Accuracy and clarity in reporting are important.
Good, let them hire Marxist Antifa, their preferred militant arm of Democrat party.
Good news! But not anything earth shattering. I’m sure the lefties don’t care because they will likely have their own goon squad of ANTIFA thugs, armed with automatic weapons, to keep the hordes of “right wing extremists” in check.
It’s good that the cops are wising up. This is an ideal situation for them, something completely optional that can easily be opted out of. I just feel sorry for the people of Milwaukee, for having this mess thrust upon them. But the lefties p[icked Milwaukee for some reason, likely they see welcoming locals there. If that is the case then shame on the citizens of Milwaukee for being so foolish.
Hope the Milwaukee Democrat SWAT (Social Workers and Therapists) team is ready to answer the call when the “protesters” who will show up start to riot.
Yeah, the Democrats are all too quick to condemn law enforcement until they need them. Karma’s a bxxxh baby!
AT SOME POINT IN TIME IT WILL BE EQUAL JUSTICE TO START BURNING AND KILLING THESE DEMOCRAT MAYORS AND ANY ELECTED SOCIALIST SO THE REAP WHAT THEY SOW IN THEIR FIELD OF HATE AMERICA. WHAT IS GOOD FOR THE GOOSE IS GOOD FOR THE GANDER. NOVEMBER THE FIRE WORKS WILL START. DEMOCRAT MARTIAL LAW OR REPUBLICAN MARTIAL LAW. AMERICA WILL GET A REAL LOOK AT WAR NOT OF JUST WORDS. BETTER GET PREPARED THE DEMOCRATS ARE ON THE BATTLE FIELD IE PORTLAND, CHICAGO, WASHINGTON , CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK, TIME TO SHOW DEMOCRATS JUST HOW SHERMAN A REPUBLICAN CAN BE. NUMBER ONE RULE OF WAR TAKE NO PRISONERS ONLY ONE WAY TO DEAL WITH EVIL IS TOTAL DESTRUCTION. THEY SEE AMERICA AS EVIL AND ARE DESTROYING IT. YOU DON’T GET TO SIT THIS ONE OUT. PRAY AND PREPARE
You could look at this as the DNC getting what it deserves, or part of the agenda to keep Biden from having to come out of his basement. That’s the goal after all. To keep him sheltered so he doesn’t have to debate Trump, and they can mess with the election. God help us.
I hope NO law-enforcement, Republican, Conservative or other Right-thinking person or group shows up at the DNC, so the Antifa and other Dem-stooge groups have no one but themselves to fight with and throw things at. Let the world see what they do when no one else shows up to their “demonstration/protest” party. What would they be protesting at their own leadership’s gathering, anyway? The SANE people of Milwaukee (and everywhere else) need to hunker-down in their homes and businesses (with plenty of guns & ammo for self-defense), and stay put, out of sight, until the whole thing is over. Then, they need to send the entire cleanup bill to the DNC and Uncle Joe’s election campaign manager (i.e. George Soros).
I don’t blame any police organization for pulling out. Democrats have no gratitude for the police and the hard position their jobs put them in! Why should they risk their lives for folks who don’t care about them and their lives?
Let the DEMS hire their thugs (BLM, Antifa, etc.) to protect them from themselves – Chew on that for awhile.
I would doubt if any Conservatives would be doing ANY ‘Peaceful Protesting’ at the Dem ‘clambake’.
Democrats want to defund the Police and other law enforcement, let them live with it. Call social workers to protect them. That’s what they want for the rest of us.
GOOD CALL COPS!!
It’s the right thing to do! The dems don’t really want the police presence anyway, right? Let them police themselves -we all see how well that is going!
What? Democrats don’t need security! No police for them because there will be no protests at Democratic convention. Only peaceful activists sitting quietly braiding hair and knitting caps. They will sing songs of a peaceful world with none of those fascists, racist conservatives to bother them. All those kind of bad people will be off at their jobs, too busy to cause anarchy. No need for those bad policemen at the Democratic Convention.
Leftists do not seem to understand the word Consequences, nor do they fathom it’s meaning.
Sometimes reality can be a bxxch…… Slap!
Is it just me, or does anyone else see that pulling all police from this ”equation” will eliminate ANTIFA and BLM protestor hostilities. For me; this is the most common sense response. I also agree with previous comments that this sets up the perfect scenario for the democrats to exercise their social worker response approach. Cue the ”Give Piece A Chance” music..,
How many more police officers have to die or be injured doing their job? They are out of control and they had better be reeled in fast.
Perhaps the Fire and Police Commission prefers the use of 9mm and 12 gauge ?
I agree with law enforcement 100% – let the pathetic Democrats be on their own!! That is what they want!
If I were the police involved with anything the Democratic Party was involved in //I would definitely cease any kind of protection for the defund the police dept/cronies and give the TRUMPSTER all the protection he needs and then more// This party of liberals needs to be defunded and thrown out of office across the USA//No backing the police should make every person vote conservative and back TRUMP because LAW and ORDER are what he offers//Wake up and throw BIDEN in the rubber room which is where he belongs//
THESE RIOTS WILL NEVER END UNTIL WE CHANGE” THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT.” THE POLICE MUST BE ABLE TO USE EVERY TOOL AVAILABLE TO THEM TO CONTROL THE RIOTERS.
Karma is a b…ch.
One, they might call on DoJ and HS for help.
Or, two, use ANTIFA and BLM who use pepper spray.
How can the Democrats nominate Joe Biden if he is under indictment for criminal conduct in the Ukraine for the firing of the investigator in the Burisma case?
The socialist/dems have in fact violated law enforcement officers right to defend themselves, police departments cut funding to the point that they can’t afford to send anybody, deal with YOUR mess, you made it, you clean it up.
We need to get out the VOTE and get out the braindead!! VOTE REPUBLICAN, VOTE AMERICAN, VOTE TRUMP!
You reap what you sow. He who sows the wind, reaps the whirlwind. Dems don’t understand these basic concepts.
Good for them!! Let those Dems who want to defund the police see what it’ll be like if they follow through with those defund policies!! ?
I’m glad they are standing up to this. They don’t deserve the disrespect they are getting especially from officials.
Why would police want to enter into security detail agreements with an untrustworthy law-breaking entity such as the DNC. An infested and corrupt organization filled with contempt for them and the average freedom loving American citizen? Such an action is akin to sending U.S. troops to assist a communist regime when they go into battle with an ally.
Whoever they have to guard them shouldn’t have any firearms- aren’t the Dems the ones who are trying to get rid of guns? They should have NO armed security.
Let the idiot dems defend themselves. What would be really FUNNY as hell if the antifa and blm’s riot on them. Be a circus show seeing the dems running for their lives hollering HELP! POLICE! Some people NEVER LEARN…seems dems are insane doing the same things over and over and over with the same outcome, yet they never realize what they are doing wrong. I’m 110% behind the POLICE not going to help the dems!
As well they should! Also, if they would act like Democrats no law enforcement officer would any longer assist, or respond to any emergency calls from Democrats who have called upon the police to be defunded, or disbanded, or enforce any of the laws passed by a Democrat majority. But then again that would be treating them as they have treated conservatives under Obama, and anywhere else where they have a majority and conservatives are not that petty. The law is being upheld and services as required per law performed.However, the party of socialism, communism, anarchy, chaos, rioting racism, and crime, formerly known as the democratic party, has left all constitutional, and congressional common ground and is no longer collaborating with fellow Americans for the good of the country, why should any American assist them out of their own free will? If Democrats want security at their private party event let them provide it, as long as they comply with all laws, especially their beloved gun laws.
Could not happen to a more deserving group of people, the demoncrats.
Let Biden, Pelosi, Schiff, Nadler, Waters, Schumer and other deplorables suit up and sweet-talk the mob.
Grateful they have pulled out. They shouldn’t support anything the Democrats do. If they don’t support the police, then the police have every right not to support them. I agree fully with Bob Vinson’s statement, the insuring companies should also cancel all insurance policies in the entire state if they are not supporting police as well.
Can you blame them? Our officers put their lives at risk while their hands are being tied behind their back.
This is going to get worse if more cities cut budgets or defund police dept. Then , take away tools to control crowds make it worse & easier for savage attacks on the police . Trump stated last month if states want Fed police to come in & he will end it quickly. But what does he mean as Portland is not ending quickly.
With Covid-19 problems getting worse, why should Republicans or Democrats have political rally in any city. The spread of virus is a cause of people travel from one state to another has been proven. Stay home & do your debate/rally on television.
FINALLY: MEN with GUTS.
The police officers are being blamed, beaten, killed, maimed by the FASCIST TROOPS paid by SOROS.
It is time to throw away that pile of crap called soros.
It is time for the REAL PEOPLE of the USA: the Conservatives to listen to President Reagan’s speech for Barry Goldwater. And realize that the left has only intensified its attacks on FREEDOM and LIBERTIES to install a tyranny like Venezuela and Cuba, and china.
Let the left defend itself against the throws of the fascist stupid bandits they call peaceful demonstrators.