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Fraternal Order of Police endorses Trump
Nominee has the ‘full support’ of the nation’s largest police labor organization
Chuck Canterbury, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, announced the organization’s endorse- ment of Mr. Donald J. Trump for the office of President.
“Obviously, this is an unusual election,” Canterbury said. “We have a candidate who declined to seek an en- dorsement and a candidate without any record as an elected official. Mr. Trump, however, has seriously looked at the issues facing law enforcement today. He under- stands and supports our priorities and our members be- lieve he will make America safe again.”
In a letter sent to Senator Cornyn on Aug. 30, the FOP noted data that shows 57,000 officers are assaulted every year on the job; that 161 officers have been shot in the line of duty through the end of August, 37 of which were killed. The letter further noted that use of firearms and ambush-related deaths against law enforcement are also up 72 percent.
“It is our job to protect others but it should not be part of the job to be a target of a hate-fueled assassin who is
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ooking simply to kill a cop,” FOP National President
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Chuck Canterbury wrote to Cornyn. “To address
this, we have suggested expanding the Federal Hate Crimes Law to protect police officers. This has become a priority for the FOP.”
The legislation offers increased protection for aw enforcement by increasing the penalties for the members of the FOP, acquainted themselves with News from the killing of or assaults against law enforcement offi- Mr. Trump’s answers to our survey,” Canterbury Grand Lodge cers, judges and other public safety officers. The FOP is particularly supportive of the bill’s provision with respect to making the murder, or attempted murder, of a law enforcement officer employed by an agency that re- ceives federal funds a capital offense. The bill would also close a loophole in current law under which the murder of a state or local law enforcement officer is a capital of- fense only if that officer was actively serving on a federal task force, was directly involved in a federal investigation
or came to the aid of a federal law enforcement officer.d
For a candidate to receive the endorsement of the
Fraternal Order of Police, he must receive a two-
thirds majority of votes from the National Board, NATIONAL
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which is made up of one trustee from each of the FOP
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organization’s State Lodges. R “Our National Board, and the more than 330,000
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continued. “He took the time off the campaign trail
and met with us to talk about our issues, our priorities. He’s made a real commitment to America’s law enforce- ment and we’re proud to make a commitment to him.” Backing for “Back the Blue”
The FOP has been pushing for Congress to do more to support and protect men and women in law enforcement, which is the focus of S. 3184, the “Back the Blue Act,” a bill sponsored by Senator John Cornyn III (R-Texas).
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CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ OCTOBER 2016 45