NYPD Sergeant’s Union To Sue OWS Attackers
“New York’s police officers are working around the clock as the already overburdened economy in New York is being drained by 'occupiers' who intentionally and maliciously instigate needless and violent confrontations with the police" - NYPD Sergeant Ed Mullins
By Dell Hill
Concerned over a rash of injuries to police officers as the result of violence in the street, New York City police sergeants are striking back - through the criminal and civil court systems.
Police sergeants are coming out swinging today against obnoxious Wall Street protesters, saying they plan to "pursue legal action" against demonstrators who injure any of its members.
Ed Mullins, president of the NYPD's Sergeant’s Benevolent Association, said his group plans to pursue legal claims against Occupy Wall Street protesters should they cause injury to any of its 5,000 members.
“In light of the growing violence attendant to the 'Occupy' movements across the country, particularly as evidenced by the recent events in Oakland, I am compelled to place these so-called 'occupiers' on notice that physical assaults on police officers will not be tolerated," he said.
Mullins added that any "assault on a police officer is not only punishable as a felony in the State of New York, but will also be met with swift and certain legal action by the SBA, which will seek monetary damages against any individual who causes injury to a New York City Sergeant.”
He said over 20 cops have been injured in Occupy Wall Street-related incidents.
"I am deeply concerned that protesters will be emboldened by the recent rash of violent acts against police officers in other cities. New York’s police officers are working around the clock as the already overburdened economy in New York is being drained by 'occupiers' who intentionally and maliciously instigate needless and violent confrontations with the police," said Mullins.
A comment from Dell:
One of the major problems being experienced is the “uniform of the day”. Most departments have their patrol officers wearing the standard uniform - rather than riot gear and that makes them a much easier target for physical attacks. It’s a catch-22, really, because wearing the riot gear fatigues and helmets gives off a much stronger, military type approach and that is seen as confrontational. Look at the picture below.
When police officers are dressed in their standard uniforms, attacks like this will be far more common. Attacking an officer donning riot gear and you’ll face a much more difficult cop to bring down. In this case, no helmet, no visor, no heavy flak jacket - nothing to provide protection from attacks such as this, not to mention the popular bottle throwing and paint can attacks
These officers are armed, but - to this point, anyway - firearms are the last thing they want to utilize. Pepper spray, Mace, Nightsticks and batons and shields are the tools of choice. If you look at the picture again, you’ll see NONE of those tools.
I’m not suggesting that the police are inviting attacks by not wearing the riot gear. But that is far to often the end result. What I AM suggesting is it’s time to take off the kid gloves. When the attacks rise to the level of felony assault on law enforcement officers, it’s time to shift tactics to a higher gear, if for no other reason than to protect those police officers from serious injury or worse. The attackers are brazen and have shown they’re willing to defy police instructions/orders by violence. It’s time to prepare for that by deploying the officers in the proper gear.
The attacker pictured above may or may not have been arrested, but, if he wasn’t, I’d strongly suggest he get a long ways away from New York City and not return. His photo will be burned into the memory of every NYPD officer and if he’s spotted, he’s likely to be arrested and jailed for “mopery with the intent to gawk”.
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