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Page 10 The Skanner August 16, 2017 News Trump ‘Jokes’ about Police Brutality, but Cops Aren’t Laughing Law enforcement agencies respond after remarks in Long Island speech By Lauren Victoria Burke NNPA Columnist D uring a speech at Suff olk Coun- ty Community College on Long Island, N.Y., President Donald Trump seemed to openly endorse police brutality. Mother Jones report- ed that it, “Turns out the audience was com- prised of offi cers in a po- lice department that has been scrutinized for ra- cial profi ling, and whose former chief was recent- ly sentenced to prison for beating a man.” According to Mother Jones, the speech was supposed to address federal eff orts to com- bat MS-13, “the violent street gang with ties to Central America.” Trump seemed to dis- courage police offi cers from safely handling suspects in their care. “When you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a pad- dy wagon. You just see them thrown in, rough. I said, ‘Please, don’t be too nice,’” Trump told the crowd to a smattering of applause. “Like when you guys put somebody in the car and you’re protecting their head… like don’t hit their head and they’ve just killed somebody. I said, ‘You can take the hand away, okay?’” Trump was referring to the police practice of assisting handcuff ed suspects into the back of police vehicle and pro- tecting their heads from hitting the door frame on the way in. Some of the offi cers in the audience chuckled at Trump’s remarks, but negative backlash from the law enforcement community quickly spread across Twitter. “As a department, we do not and will not tol- erate roughing up of prisoners,” tweeted the Suff olk County Police Department. “The SCPD has strict rules and pro- cedures relating to the handling of prisoners. Violations of those rules are treated extremely se- riously.” The two tweets that re- ferred to the president’s remarks in Long Island gained close to 100,000 likes. In reaction to Trump’s rhetoric, New York Police Commissioner James O’Neill said that to “suggest that police offi cers apply any stan- dard in the use of force other than what is rea- sonable and necessary is irresponsible, unpro- fessional and sends the wrong message to law enforcement as well as the public.” In a tweet that would receive over 48,000 Community Business Directory BEAUTY SALON & BARBERSHOPS We’re Here and We’re Not Going Anywhere Deans Beauty Salon & Barbershop OREGON’S OLDEST BLACK BEAUTY SALON & BARBERSHOP Serving our community since 1954 215 & 213 NE Hancock Portland, OR 97212 503.282.3379 Salon 503.282.3388 Barbershop STYLISTS: Kim • Sylvia • Kaycee • Pearl President Trump seemed to endorse police brutality in a speech on Long Island, N.Y. This photo was taken during WTO protests in Seattle, November 30, 1999. Pepper spray is applied to the crowd. (Wikimedia Commons) retweets and 148,000 likes, the Gainsville, Fla., police department put out a message that read: “The @POTUS made remarks today that en- dorsed and condoned police brutality. GPD re- jects these remarks and continues to serve with respect.” In an emailed letter to employees, acting Drug Enforcement Adminis- trator Chuck Rosenberg wrote, “In writing to you, I seek to advance no political, partisan, or personal agenda. Nor do I believe that a Special Agent or Task Force Of- fi cer of the DEA would mistreat a defendant. I know that you would not.” Rosenberg’s letter continued: “I write to off er a strong reaffi r- mation of the operat- ing principles to which we, as law enforcement professionals, adhere. I write because we have an obligation to speak out when something is wrong. That’s what law enforcement offi cers do. That’s what you do. We fi x stuff . At least, we try.” Rosenberg said that law enforcement offi - BARBERS: Curtis • Pearl INSURANCE cers must earn and keep the public trust. “Ours is an honorable profession and, so, we will always act honor- ably,” Rosenberg wrote. A few days aft er Trump’s speech, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sand- ers said Trump was “jok- ing” when he seemed to encourage police bru- tality at Suff olk County Community College. Mayor: Baltimore Statues Came Down ‘Quietly, Quickly’ Crews removed four statues under cover of night this week By Juliet Linderman, Associated Press BALTIMORE (AP) — Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh has a few words of advice for leaders in other cities who might want to get rid of Confederate mon- uments: “Do it quietly and quickly.” On Tuesday Pugh ordered four statues in Baltimore removed under the cover of night. In the morning, city residents awoke to empty marble plinths. See STATUES on page 11 Hear about it fi rst. Sign up for Breaking News and Events at