State Senator’s zero-tolerance for hate speech among police assisted him in landing endorsement from black cops association.
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The North Philadelphia based association that represented 2,300 black Philadelphia police officers in a class action lawsuit against the Philadelphia Police Department for allegedly allowing its officers to post racist and offensive content on a website focused on law and policing has endorsed State Senator, Mr. Anthony Hardy Williams, for Mayor of Philadelphia, in part due to his proposed push for a zero-tolerance policy on hate speech among police.
The Senator’s plan has been called flawed by some, citing the inability, legally, to dismiss officers without due process.
But Senator Williams, a resident of West Philadelphia, pushed back against his critics when he received the endorsement of the Guardian Civic League yesterday, touting the city’s contract with the Fraternal Order of Police and the ability to augment it, and the FOP’s right to enjoin it.
“There are places in America that are actually doing that… and it works… it works,” stated Senator Williams, who added “no one should suggest that we should have anybody who hates you being a part of the police department.”
Senator Williams’ zero-tolerance proposal seems to be one of the core anchors in his newly released policy paper, which he touts will not only prevent the uprising in Baltimore, but aid in restoring the public’s trust in the judicial system.
His hard line stance on the issue of racism in the police department – which was a concern raised by a black Philadelphia police officer in attendance – is what seems to have really won over the Guardian Civic League, which claimed to have not been immediately sold on Senator Williams, but rather they had took a “really hard look” at all the candidates and decided he was the best choice.
“At a time when cities are burning in the wake of police abuse, we can’t afford to have a mayor that was annoyed by police restraint and who refuses to condemn hate speech,” said GCL President, Ms. Rochelle Bilal, taking a less than subtle shot Mayoral candidate, Mr. Jim Kenney, who received the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police.
Her indirect jabs at the White, former Philadelphia City Councilman continued:
“You don’t just change overnight… check 23 years on council and see how many of it was voted against people of color; how much of it was voted against community.”
Senator Williams refrained from attacking his opponent during his endorsement speech, instead he focused much of his talk on public safety and community policing, furthering his message that in order for police to become “trusted partners in peace,” they must first see the people they protect and serve as actual people.
“For a human being to be strangled to death, crying for help… for another human to be crushed to death, crying for help… and ultimately for another human being to be shot down eight times in their back, pleading for help, means the person who’s involved in that doesn’t see the other person as a human being.”
CLICK HERE to download the Senator’s public safety policy paper.
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