Police chiefs respond to Trump's call to rough up suspects

'When you guys put somebody in the car and you’re protecting their head...you can take the hand away, okay?' Mr Trump told officers

Charlotte Beale
Sunday 30 July 2017 11:09 BST
Comments
Donald Trump encourages law enforcement officials to not be too nice when arresting suspects

Police chiefs have rebuffed President Trump’s call to rough up suspects.

Officers can stop protecting suspects’ heads when they lower them into patrol cars, Mr Trump said during a speech to law enforcement officers, who clapped and laughed.

But dignity and respect are “the bedrock principle" behind "procedural justice and police legitimacy”, said the International Association of Chiefs of Police in a statement.

Issued just hours after his speech, the statement does not make reference to President Trump or his remarks.

“The ability of law enforcement officers to enforce the law, protect the public, and guard their own safety, the safety of innocent bystanders, and even those suspected or apprehended for criminal activity is very challenging" said the statement.

“For these reasons, law enforcement agencies develop policies and procedures, as well as conduct extensive training, to ensure that any use of force is carefully applied and objectively reasonable considering the situation confronted by the officers.”

“Law enforcement officers are trained to treat all individuals, whether they are a complainant, suspect, or defendant, with dignity and respect.”

“This is the bedrock principle behind the concepts of procedural justice and police legitimacy.”

Mr Trump’s speech focused on measures to counter violence by a notorious street gang, MS-13.

Linking gang violence to immigrant communities, he repeated his administration’s commitment to speeding up deportations of illegal immigrants, enforcing immigration laws and building the wall on the Mexican border.

“When you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon — you just see them thrown in, rough — I said, ‘Please don’t be too nice,’” he said.

“Like when you guys put somebody in the car and you’re protecting their head, you know, the way you put their hand over? Like, don’t hit their head and they’ve just killed somebody — don’t hit their head. I said, ‘You can take the hand away, okay?’” he added.

The audience of law enforcement officers laughed and clapped.

“For years and years, [laws have] been made to protect the criminal,” Mr Trump said.

“Totally protect the criminal, not the officers. You do something wrong, you’re in more jeopardy than they are. These laws are stacked against you. We’re changing those laws.”

Mr Trump called MS-13 members “animals” who have “transformed peaceful parks and beautiful quiet neighborhoods into blood-stained killing fields.”

The gang’s members have allegedly committed 17 murders in Sussex County since the start of 2016, according to USA Today.

The police force for Sussex County, where Mr Trump spoke, wrote on Twitter immediately afterwards that it “has strict rules & procedures relating to the handling of prisoners.”

“Violations of those rules are treated extremely seriously."

"As a department, we do not and will not tolerate roughing up of prisoners."

Human rights advocates have also condemned the president’s remarks.

“Innocent until proven guilty? Our president would rather not bother with that, expanding the role of the police officer to include judge, jury, and executioner” said American Civil Liberties Union deputy legal director Jeffery Robinson in a statement.

“And if the police happen to make a mistake and arrest an innocent person? Well, the pain and humiliation they endure is just a small price to pay for our return to being tough on crime. Just remember which communities will pay.”

“This country is weary of the type of policing that Trump espouses, having seen over and over again that it only makes it harder for police to investigate and solve crime."

"We must increase the trust between police and civilians, not decimate it.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in