FOP president blames complacent prosecutors and cynical politicians for increased violence against police

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The Fraternal National Order of Police (FOP) released a report on Wednesday morning compiling attacks on law enforcement over the past year.

With 10 days remaining in 2022, the National FOP reports that 323 officers have been shot in the line of duty this year. Of those who were shot, 60 died. These statistics do not include situations where officers were shot, but not injured.

In response to the report, FOP National President Patrick Yoes called the past year “one of the most dangerous years for law enforcement in recent history.”

Yoes said the rise in violence against police, and the crime crisis in general, is the result of criminals feeling emboldened by “the failed policies of complacent prosecutors and cynical politicians.”

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Flowers left on top of the police cruiser belonging to deceased Arvada Police Officer Dillon Michael Vakoff outside Arvada Police Headquarters September 11, 2022 in Arvada, Colorado. (Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

Although 2021 was the worst year for attacks on law enforcement, with 346 officers shot and 63 killed, since the FOP began recording data in 2015, this year isn’t too far behind. The statistics for both years are significantly lower than those of 2019 and 2020.

Yoes said the surge in violence was unlike anything he had ever seen as a 36-year-old veteran, adding there had been 87 ambush-type attacks on law enforcement this year , which left 31 of the 60 dead.

“Many will often look at this data and only see numbers. We MUST remember that they represent heroes, fathers, mothers, sons and daughters,” Yoes wrote. “Fortunately, due to dramatic improvements in medical trauma science and anti-ballistic technology, the lethality of these attacks would be much greater.”

POLICE AND DEATH ENFORCEMENT IN 2021 INCREASED 55% OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR

Yoes said it was his “sincere hope” that Congress would pass the Protect and Serve Act, which would solve the national problem of ambushes and unprovoked attacks on US officers.

He also said he could not begin to comprehend the “heinous acts” violent and brazen criminals are prepared to commit against law-abiding citizens if they are prepared to attack men and women in the course of law enforcement. He added that law-abiding American citizens rightly live in fear wondering if they will be the next victim.

Laying some of the blame on “rogue prosecutors”, Yoes said more people would continue to break the law when they faced no consequences.

“Law-abiding citizens have seen the real consequences of what happens when elected officials enact pro-criminal and revolving door policies and make decisions that put the interests of violent offenders ahead of public safety,” Yoes wrote. . “These decisions not to prosecute violent offenders for their crimes or, even worse, to release repeat offenders arrested for crimes that show a propensity for escalating violence make our communities less safe.”

A law enforcement officer crosses his hands during the National Peace Officers Memorial Service at the United States Capitol in Washington, DC on May 15, 2022. (Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

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Yoes ended his response by saying “enough is enough” and calling on Americans in every community across the country to join law enforcement in taking a stand against rampant violence.

“Truly, violence against those sworn to serve and protect is beyond unacceptable; it is a stain on our society, and it must end. It is incumbent upon our elected officials and community leaders to stand up, support our heroes and to denounce the violence against the police,” he wrote.

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