For Immediate Release
June 14, 2020
Facts, Not Politics, Must Guide Law Enforcement Reforms
AUSTIN, TEXAS -- More than 80,000 Texas men and women risk their lives every day to bravely serve the cause of public safety in police departments throughout our state. The job of these brave men and women is to protect law-abiding citizens from criminals.
Being a police officer is not glamourous, and what is portrayed in Hollywood is far from real life. Police officers are ordinary people who share the same personal struggles and successes as the rest of us, and who have chosen to serve our communities in extraordinary ways in dangerous situations. As a group, they represent a diverse array of ethnicities, races and religions. They are our friends, neighbors and fellow parishioners, who have sworn to protect our Constitutional rights, including the right of free speech, and they have families who pray that they will return home when their shifts are over.
Yet, these same police officers are being targeted with messages of hate scrawled on the sidewalks in front of their homes and on social media by the very neighbors they have sworn to protect. This must stop.
There is no justification for police brutality. We strongly condemn the actions of the officer who took the life of George Floyd, as well as the inaction of his peers, and we agree that justice must be served. We also acknowledge a crisis of public trust in law enforcement –– a trust we must carefully and deliberately work to rebuild in good faith in every corner of the nation.
The Texas Municipal Police Association is committed to being an active participant in discussions about law enforcement reforms that will improve the ability of officers to responsibly protect the peace. We will also take a stand against rules that would threaten their safety while they protect law-abiding citizens against crime.
Any changes in law enforcement protocols must be based on fact, not emotion, false narratives or mistruths. Elected officials must bring parties together to thoughtfully resolve these issues, not score political points through radical headlines and polarizing rhetoric. This is a dangerous approach for communities across our great state.
As the largest police organization in the State of Texas, we look forward to helping shape the needed changes to ordinances, rules and laws that govern the maintenance of peace in Texas.
We value the lives of every human.
We denounce the demonization of peace officers in Texas.
TMPA is the largest law enforcement association in Texas, representing more than 29,500 officers statewide at more than 1,900 agencies.
For more information or to schedule an interview with TMPA, please contact Alicia Mupo at 512-279-7167 or [email protected].
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