During National Police Week, just concluded, America stops to honor federal, state, and local law enforcement officers who fell in the line of duty – protecting us. In 2020, more than 300 courageous officers died for us. Their names, read at a virtual candlelight vigil, will be placed on the National Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial. The “tragedy within the tragedy” is President Biden’s ingratitude.
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy – a Democrat and law enforcement supporter – established the first Peace Officers’ Memorial Day and National Police Week. Since that time, every president has paused to honor the fallen, and whatever the political climate of the time, never compromised the event.
Ironically, at a time when the nation is highly dependent on law enforcement loyalties, as officers summon outsized courage, restraint, stamina, and judgment to face politically motivated attacks, violent ambushes, continued Democrat calls for defunding, reduced morale, legal protection, and job security, President Biden had the gall to criticize police – during police week.
While he honored “those who lost their lives,” he bemoaned the “deep sense of distrust” toward police by “black and brown” Americans and “trauma” caused by police. To take this sacred moment – the moment when loved ones, departments, those whose lives were lost saving others – and use it to berate America’s law enforcement community is worse than tone-deaf. It is out-of-sync with America. See, https://www.bing.com/search?q=biden+police+funding&form=EDGEAR&qs=AS&cvid=bfc7697491a844aabac1f6e425eee481&cc=US&setlang=en-US&plvar=0&PC=DCTS.
Nationally, Biden and Democrats have been a disgrace to law enforcement. They silenced Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) last year when his police reform bill might have defused tensions and saved lives. They did not want to give Republicans a legislative victory, so they stuffed him. This year, they chanted “Uncle Tim.”
Today, they actively push defunding police nationwide, at every level of government. They plan to strip police officers of qualified immunity, which allows them to render split-second decisions with the trust they will not be sued for unforeseeable errors; note, even with qualified immunity, officers can already be sued for actions that violate “clearly established” federal or constitutional rights.
So, while Biden fights to undermine police – from Heartland to Border – he says he honors them. While he speaks to those who lost a loved one in the line of duty and tens of thousands of their colleagues watching in blue, he mortifies them with a gut punch, impugning the trust they earn and deserve.
Added irony: Poll numbers reveal that Biden is, as on so much else, clueless. In fact, a March 2021 poll by USA Today shows support for police rising, while support for Black Lives Matter (BLM) is falling – and notably, police support rose fastest among blacks, BLM support fell most among blacks. So, Mr. President, maybe you should relook those polls. In parallel, despite Democrat and media defund calls, only 18 percent of America wants to defund police. See, e.g., https://www.bing.com/search?q=usa+today+poll+police+march&form=EDGEAR&qs=PF&cvid=963e2a9b379341e49aae9276e71149e1&cc=US&setlang=en-US&plvar=0&PC=DCTS; https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/03/07/usa-today-ipsos-poll-just-18-support-defund-police-movement/4599232001/.
Comparative polling is also interesting. A Reagan Institute poll, their third annual National Defense Survey, shows that – while trust in the military and police have taken a hit, trust in these institutions is multiples of trust in media which fell to 14 percent, and Congress, which rests at 10 percent. The point is that, when push comes to shove, America thinks more of the military and police than of media and Congress. In addition, an indirect measure of police support is concern about instability, and 88 percent of Americans worry over domestic division and political violence. See, https://www.bing.com/search?q=biden+police+funding&form=EDGEAR&qs=AS&cvid=bfc7697491a844aabac1f6e425eee481&cc=US&setlang=en-US&plvar=0&PC=DCTS.
In the end, this is not complicated. Police officers are overwhelmingly other-regarding, motivated by noble ideals, ready to take risks to protect citizens of all races, creeds, ages, occupations, income levels, beliefs, geographies, and mindsets. They uphold the rule of law. They are imperfect; they are human. But without them – there would be no law, order, peace, security, or America. When they die in the line of duty, that is a sobering, sad, solemn turn – and honoring that sacrifice should be unimpaired by politics. Biden’s tone-deaf remarks reveal an absence of appreciation – for the week, the officers, the meaning.