Violence against police officers rising amid nationwide crime surge
President of the Maryland Fraternal Order of Police Clyde Boatwright, president of the Memphis Police Association Lt. Essica Cage-Rosario, and founder of Blue Lives Matter in NYC Joseph Imperatrice discuss the tragic trend.
Violence against police officers is on the rise, with 101 officers shot already this year according to the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), as the nationwide crime surge continues to affect men and women in blue.
President of the Maryland Fraternal Order of Police Clyde Boatwright, president of the Memphis Police Association Lt. Essica Cage-Rosario, and founder of Blue Lives Matter in NYC Joseph Imperatrice addressed politicians' role in the tragic trend on "Fox & Friends First."
"If you have politicians go in front of a podium and make it okay to resist arrest, make it okay to commit crimes, make it okay to fight the cops, you're going to create very serious, dangerous situations, not just for our police officers, but our communities," Imperatrice told co-host Carley Shimkus.
Of the 101 officers shot at as of April 1, 17 of them died. This is a 43% increase from 2021, and a 63% surge from 2020.
"Now more than ever it is the most dangerous time to be a police officer, and it's simply because our communities have gotten away from the simple ABCs of life," Boatwright said.
NYPD officers stand outside on Fifth Avenue before the casket of New York City Police Officer Wilbert Mora is delivered to St. Patrick's Cathedral for his wake, Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, in New York. Mora and Officer Jason Rivera were fatally wounded when a gunman ambushed them in an apartment as they responded to a family dispute. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
"And that's accountability, boundaries and consequences," he continued. "If we can start holding people accountable and setting boundaries and giving them consequences for their actions, maybe we'll start to see a tide change in our communities."
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Ambush-style attacks targeting men and women in blue have surged 36% as of April 1, according to the FOP.
"We have to try and also find a way to bridge the gap between police and the community so that they won't see us as the enemy," Lt. Cage-Rosario said.
The FBI claims there were 73 police officers murdered in 2021, which is a 59% increase from 2020.
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