As tensions between law enforcement and protestors in Ferguson, Missouri continue to brew, former FBI Assistant Director Ron Hosko sent a letter to President Obama Tuesday raising concerns on behalf of the national law enforcement community, who is reportedly discouraged over an "abundance of news that suggests the federal government has turned its back on them."
The letter states that Attorney General Eric Holder is among the chief antagonists, and alleges that his "ill-timed" decision to investigate the Ferguson Police Department at the "height of racial tensions" only throws gasoline on a "fire that was already burning."
The accusation comes as the Senate prepares to hold confirmation hearings for the new attorney general nominee, Loretta Lynch, and as outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder continues to provide Department of Justice resources to Ferguson, as reported by Town Hall.
"The hyper-politicization of justice issues has made it immeasurably more difficult for police officers to simply do their jobs," wrote Hosko. "The growing divide between the police and the people - perhaps best characterized by protesters in Ferguson, Mo., who angrily chanted, 'It's not black or white. It's blue!' - only benefits of members of a political class seeking to vilify law enforcement for other societal failures. This puts our communities at greater risk, especially the most vulnerable among us."
"Your attorney general, Eric Holder, is chief among the antagonists. During his tenure as the head of the Department of Justice, Mr. Holder claims to have investigated twice as many police and police departments as any of his predecessors. Of course, this includes his ill-timed decision to launch a full investigation into the Ferguson Police Department at the height of racial tensions in that community, throwing gasoline on a fire that was already burning. Many officers were disgusted by such a transparent political maneuver at a time when presidential and attorney general leadership could have calmed a truly chaotic situation."
Hosko continued by asking that Obama personally re-engages with the law enforcement community, claiming that the president has "an urgent responsibility to correct damage inflicted upon law enforcement and help mend the rift between police and those they protect."
Concluding the letter, Hosko wrote, "I trust that you understand the gravity of the situation at hand, as well as the long-term consequences from inaction on this issue. Strong leadership is exemplified in bold action. We live in a time requiring both."
The grand jury decision about whether to prosecute police officer Darren Wilson for the killing of Michael Brown is expected any day now, and law enforcement personel in Ferguson are bracing for increased protests as that date nears.
