The largest police union in the United States criticized politicians and media outlets on Tuesday for allegedly fueling anti-police propaganda across the country after the series of cop killings in months since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
Lawmakers and some media outlets are using the surge of violent crimes in the country to push propaganda urging the public to believe police are the main source of the problem, the National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) said in a Twitter post.
The social media account also revealed homicide and shooting statistics in major cities across the United States. The numbers showed that Portland recorded an increase of 533% in homicides and 126% in shootings between 2020 and 2021.
Defund the Police Movement
Protests have erupted in various parts of the country in recent months. In some instances, these protests turned violent. The circumstances have forced police departments to thin out their officers in order to cover multiple areas at any given time. The resulting fewer officers was an open invitation for criminals and violent crime instigators, MSN reported.
Recently, an MSNBC contributor was the subject of criticism from police unions for claims on Monday that the crime surge in New York City and across the country is a result of police-related mistakes.
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Brittany Packnett Cunningham, An MSNBC contributor and former Obama-era task force member, said many law enforcement personnel and GOP operatives are blaming the "Defund the Police" movement for the surge of violent crimes. However, she noted the defund action has not been implemented in many areas where violent crime has since skyrocketed.
The Washington Examiner via Yahoo reported that Cunningham said that across the country, 50 of the largest cities where police continue to receive funding, where some even got an increase from 13.6% to 13.7% for general expenditure. Cunningham said the movement had little to do with the surge of crime compared to the fault of the police. She argued that institutions and systems that do not meet their objectives should be given continued funding.
A Surge of Violent Crime
Cunningham said there are several ways to reduce the number of violent crimes, including gun laws, liveable wages, fair housing, and educational opportunities. Money from the police should be allocated to these areas instead, she said.
However, Cunningham received criticism for her statements from Detectives' Endowment Association President Paul DiGiacomo, who said the comments did not make sense. He argued that even before the "Defund the Police" movement, the streets were safer. Crime rates have skyrocketed afterward.
Additionally, Blue Lives Matter NYC founder Joseph Imperatrice called Cunningham's statements irresponsible. He continued to argue that police should be allowed to do their jobs and proactively patrol the streets to arrest criminals and put them behind bars.
Police Benevolent Association of the New York State Troopers Thomas Mungeer blamed the "so-called reformers" for causing the massive surge in violent crimes across the country, the New York Post reported.
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