Jim DeWees, a sheriff from Maryland, has written an open letter blasting President Barack Obama for his silence on a wave of recent fatal shootings of police officers in the U.S., including two sheriff deputies in Harford County.
"Dear President Obama," the letter he posted to Facebook on Saturday begins. "In case you haven't heard, eight American police officers over the past eight days have been killed in the line of duty. Two of these police officers were Harford County Sheriff's Deputies that were gunned down at a Panera Restaurant just 50 miles from where you live. I've watched and listened intently for words of encouragement and sorrow to come from you, but haven't heard or seen anything."
As the letter continues, he compares the observed inaction of Obama to the actions that Maryland governor Larry Hogan took two weeks ago following a severe traffic collision in Carroll County.
"Conversely, just two weeks ago my governor, Larry Hogan, spent the better part of a week placing a call each day to one of my deputies that was involved in a severe traffic collision in Carroll County," Sheriff DeWees continued. "He wasn't satisfied with speaking to me in order to send his prayers and regards; he called every day after the collision until he spoke with my deputy's wife. Governor Hogan also drove to Harford County the day after two deputies were slain to meet Sheriff Gahler and the men & women of his office to grieve with them. The governor is in the middle of the 2016 Legislative Session and is pretty busy, yet found time to call, visit and pay his respects to me & my deputy, and the men & women of the Harford County Sheriff's Office."
DeWees' post has gotten a lot of attention throughout law enforcement social media and has become part of an ongoing complaint from police, alleging that Obama is ignoring attacks on police and may be actually encouraging them.
These concerns have encouraged the Fraternal Order of Police to call on Obama in a similar Facebook letter, asking him to introduce hate-crime laws that cover attacks against police. "Mr. President, that is eight officers-six in less than a week-who have been gunned down by assailants striking from ambush or career criminals with active warrants who decided they would not be taken into custody, no matter the cost. Enough is enough! This must end," FOP President Chuck Canterbury wrote.
DeWees continues the letter stating that Obama is more concerned with police killing civilans than the other way around and argues that if such an incident were to occur, he would "whisk their family away....to make an example of officers nationwide."
"I understand that you are a busy man and are being pulled in multiple directions every day of the week," wrote DeWees. "But, when my president doesn't take the time to openly recognize the sacrifices that brave men & women of law enforcement make each day to keep domestic peace, I'm disappointed! I suspect that if these same deputies walked in to a restaurant, and without provocation shot and killed an innocent man, you and your staff would quickly whisk their family away to Washington for a future speech to make an example of police officers nationwide."
He continued: "For me Mr. President, it has nothing to do with Republican or Democrat; black or white, male or female; but, it has everything to do with leading or following. I'm not shocked that you haven't openly reached out or acknowledged publicly the recent rash of deaths in law enforcement, but I'm tremendously disappointed!"
DeWees concluded his scathing letter with a taunt: "I'll be standing outside in the cold next week with my deputies for the funerals of the Harford Co deputies; I'll save you a spot next to me!"
Since posting it, DeWees' letter has received over 23,000 likes and has been shared more than 19,000 times.
