law enforcement Archives - Page 3 of 3

Fraternal Order of Police Endorses Trump, Including Lodge in Biden’s Home State

September 7, 2020September 6, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

The Fraternal Order of Police, one of the nation’s largest law enforcement organizations, on Friday unanimously gave its national endorsement to President Trump’s re-election, while its local lodge in Delaware turned its back on home state son Joe Biden to also support the GOP nominee.

“Look at what the national discourse has focused on for the last six months. President Trump has shown time after time that he supports our law enforcement officers and understands the issues our members face every day,” FOP National President Patrick Yoes said in announcing the endorsement. “The FOP is proud to endorse a candidate who calls for law and order across our nation. He has the full and enthusiastic support of the FOP.”

Bill to End Qualified Immunity for Law Enforcement Officers Defeated in House Appropriations Committee

September 1, 2020August 31, 2020 Jacob Taylor

Delegates in the House Committee on Appropriations voted against a bill Monday that removed qualified immunity for law enforcement officers, making them liable to lawsuits.

The Bill, HB 5013, sponsored by Del. Bourne (D-Richmond City), was defeated in Committee after failing to get enough votes to advance to the House floor.

Senate Passes Bill Eliminating Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Assaulting Law Enforcement Officers, Others

August 27, 2020August 26, 2020 Jacob Taylor

The Senate passed a bill Wednesday that would eliminate the mandatory minimum sentence of six months jail time for assaulting a law enforcement officer or other public servants.

The bill passed by a vote of 21-Y 15-N after over an hour of back and forth between Senators.

Study Shows Collective Bargaining, Now Reinstated in Virginia, Shields Police Officers from Discipline

August 10, 2020 Admin

A recent study of collectively bargained deals negotiated by police unions nationwide found these deals often scale back accountability and shield police from disciplinary action.

Before this year, public-sector collective bargaining was banned in Virginia. But after Democrats won control of the House and Senate, party leaders were able to pass legislation to end that prohibition, and Gov. Ralph Northam signed it into law. The law will go into effect in May 2021.

Police, Criminal Justice Reform Advocates Share Some Views Ahead of Legislative Special Session

August 10, 2020 Admin

Police officers and criminal justice reform advocates share some common ground going into Virginia’s special session to address policing reform, but the two groups break apart on some of the more controversial reforms.

“We are as repulsed by bad police officers … as anyone [else],” Wayne Huggins, executive director of the Virginia State Police Association, told Virginia House members Thursday during the last criminal justice reform hearing ahead of the special session, which convenes Aug. 18.

More Than 100 NYPD Officers Injured in Protests Since June 10

August 9, 2020August 13, 2020 Admin

Approximately 111 New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers have been injured in demonstrations across NYC’s five boroughs since June 10, a law enforcement spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

A total of 461 NYPD officers have been injured since the start of violent demonstrations on May 26 that followed the death of George Floyd, who died after a police officer knelt on his neck for over eight minutes, NYPD spokesperson Sgt. Mary Frances O’Donnell told the DCNF in an email.

Less Than One in Eight Excessive Force Complaints Are Substantiated, NYPD Complaint Data Shows

August 6, 2020August 13, 2020 Admin

According to recently released NYPD complaint data, less than 13% of excessive use of force complaints filed against New York Police Department officers is substantiated.

The raw data was published by ProPublica, which obtained it from the New York Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB). The database includes every complaint against active-duty officers who’ve had at least one complaint substantiated.

100+ Police Agencies Pull Out of Democrat Convention Security

July 31, 2020July 31, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

More than 100 police agencies have backed out of agreements to send personnel to help with security at next month’s Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, The Daily Caller reported.

The original plan was to have 1,000 officers on hand from outside agencies to assist with security.

Trump Administration to Send Federal Agents to Cleveland

July 30, 2020July 29, 2020 Ben Kolodny

Federal agents will be sent to Cleveland as part of “Operation Legend.” The operation, named after four-year-old Legend Taliferro who was killed in Kansas City, was created to help combat the uptick in violence in the wake of the George Floyd Protests. Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams stressed that there will not be “Federal Troops” in the city.

Not a Single Minneapolis Police Recruit Dropped Out of Training Amid Riots, Unrest and Defunding

July 26, 2020July 25, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Not one of the most recent Minneapolis Police Academy recruits dropped out of the training process, despite massive riots in the Minnesota city and calls to defund their department.

Every individual enrolled and set to graduate on June 29 finished the process, Minneapolis Police director of public information John Elder told the Daily Caller News Foundation in an email. Elder said he’d noticed a decrease in the number of people looking to become police officers since the 1980’s, but reported that “no one dropped out” in the most recent class.

Citing Racial Bias, San Francisco Will End Mug Shots Release

July 2, 2020July 1, 2020 The Associated Press

San Francisco police will stop releasing the mug shots of people who have been arrested unless they pose a threat to the public, as part of an effort to stop perpetuating racial stereotypes, the city’s police chief announced Wednesday.

San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said the policy, which goes into effect immediately, means the department will no longer release booking photos of suspects to the media or allow officers to post them online.

Commentary: The Impossibility of a Police-Less Society

June 28, 2020June 27, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

The hue and cry for a police-less society is serious stuff. For some advocates, the term “defund the police” refers simply to making victimless crimes (drug use, etc.) the responsibility of social workers rather than police officers. But to others it means eliminating law enforcement entirely.

Is such a condition possible? Can a society function without any law enforcement agents?

More Than 75 Percent of Americans Approve of Police in Their Community: Poll

June 20, 2020June 19, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

There is a disparity between how Americans view policing countrywide and how they view policing in their own communities, a national poll found.

Seventy-seven percent of respondents said they approved of how their local police did their job, according to the Quinnipiac poll released Wednesday. Debate over police reform has been heating up in the wake of the death of George Floyd, who died in Minneapolis police custody May 25 after an officer knelt on his neck, video showed. Floyd’s death has been the catalyst for protests and riots across the country.

Senate GOP Propose Police Changes

June 18, 2020June 17, 2020 The Associated Press

Senate Republicans unveiled proposed changes to police procedures and accountability Wednesday, countering Democratic policing legislation with a bill that is less sweeping but underscores how swiftly the national debate has been transformed five months before elections.

Republicans are embracing a new priority with the “Justice Act,” the most ambitious GOP policing proposal in years, in a direct response to the massive public protests over the death of George Floyd and other black Americans. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he believes America is not a racist country but “the stain is not totally gone” from slavery and the Civil War.

Trump Finalizing Executive Order, Says He Wants to Increase Police Funding

June 14, 2020June 13, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

President Donald Trump said Thursday that his administration was finalizing an executive order focusing on police reform amid widespread protests over the death of George Floyd.

The statement, which came during a roundtable with law enforcement officers in Dallas, addressed police funding, social workers and de-escalation tactics, Politico reported. It also came amid demonstrations and rioting over Floyd, who died May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for about nine minutes, video showed.

The Crisis of Confidence in the United States’ Intelligence Community Reaches New Heights

May 26, 2018July 18, 2018 Admin

by Printus LeBlanc The FBI is in serious trouble, not just the people in the bureau that lied to the Office of Inspector General, fixed the Clinton investigation, and spied on a political campaign. The American people are losing confidence in the bureau. FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich stated in…