BLACK LAW ENFORCEMENT CONDEMNS POLICE SHOOTINGS IN BATON ROUGE
National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers Speaks Out Regarding The Ambush Attack and Assassination of Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Law Enforcement Officers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dated: Monday July 18, 2016
The National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers Board of Directors and General Membership, both as a body of career law enforcement professionals and individual members of the various African American communities we serve, join with the nation’s law enforcement community to express our sorrow and outrage regarding the recent events in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This cowardly and despicable act must, and should, be repudiated by all sensible and responsible persons, regardless of their racial background.
As so eloquently stated by President Obama, “…nothing justifies attacks on police officers.” No amount of anger and frustration about the ills of the system should ever be used as a cause or excuse to assault or assassinate law enforcement officers who are simply doing their job. Regardless of community perceptions and beliefs pertaining to issues concerning police abuse, misconduct and excessive force, irrespective of the beliefs of those who wish to create mayhem – this is not the way to secure and sustain community justice.
This type of insanity will not improve police-community relations; it will not bring about greater levels of police accountability; it will not advance the cause of social justice; it will not improve the status of life in the Black community; it will not bring an end to the shootings of Black men by the police.
It must be painfully clear to all that this act of evil, vicious violence has no place in our communities, just as the past and continued unnecessary death of young black men at the hands of police officers has no place. Yet this wanton act of cowardice will only serve to further increase the likelihood that police officers will react more aggressively, and sometimes haphazardly, when addressing the needs of the Black community.
We honor the service of the officers whose lives were taken so suddenly and needlessly, share the grief of their families, and extend our heartfelt condolences to the entire Baton Rouge community, even while knowing that these sentiments are not enough.
We, as well, urge and encourage our community to remain calm. There have been losses on both sides of this issue, and each one causes us grief and despair.
NABLEO, its Board of Directors and General Membership will stand in unison with all members of our community, regardless of their status, to bring true justice for all. We ask that you stand with us to help bring about true and lasting change.
The National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers, Inc, a 501.(c).(3) non-profit, is a premier national organization representing the interests and concerns of African American, Latino and other criminal justice practitioners of color serving in law enforcement, corrections, and investigative agencies throughout the United States, and the communities in which they serve.
