I caught the news last night as I was laying in bed. Confines of the 70 Precinct in Brooklyn.
Dear Fellow Sergeant
Tonight in the confines of the 70th precinct at the corner of Ditmas avenue and E 23rd street. Two NYPD officers in uniform were walking their patrol post when a dark colored sedan with tinted windows slowly approached them made a statement about getting them and proceeded to fire shots at the officers. The vehicle was occupied by (4) four male blacks, fled the scene and was subsequently dumped in the confines of the 67th precinct. Perps are still not apprehended.
Please remain alert at all times. The SBA will utilize every resource to defend your action. Your safety and the safety of your officers is paramount.
Stay safeThe bridges leaving Brooklyn were shut down in an attempt to locate the perps. Vehicle was recovered but no perps in custody at this time.
Ed Mullins
The following letter was sent last Wednesday by my union:
Dear Fellow Sergeant,
The widespread violence directed at the law enforcement community was exacerbated this week when the Louisiana State Police uncovered a plot by numerous males, including several juveniles, to attack police officers with the sole intention of killing as many cops as possible.If you are active, retired or a family member, now is not the time to advertise or advocate for the profession of law enforcement. I had my wife remove the gold charm of my sergeant's shield after reading this email, and my buff and memorial shirts are going deep in a drawer. I don't know when, let alone if, they will be worn again in public.
Had the plot been carried out, a high-ranking State Police official said it would have caused “substantial harm to the police in the Baton Rouge area,” where a controversial police shooting took place last week.
As I have said many times before, we cannot afford to be complacent here in New York. This is perhaps the most dangerous time in history to be a police officer, regardless of the geographical location.
SBA personnel, as well as all NYPD officers, are urged to utilize extreme caution in everything you do both on and off duty. While on-duty, do not stare at your cell phones and be aware of your surroundings every minute of your tour.
Do not do anything alone, including taking meal or personal breaks. If using a bathroom in a public place, always have a fellow officer in close proximity to you.
Wear your bullet-resistant vests and carry extra ammunition at all times. Do not respond to any assignments, regardless of how seemingly routine, without backup. Scan the street or the location where you are headed before embarking down that road.
Enter all buildings strategically and realize that you must prepare for the unexpected at all times. The reality is that during these dangerous and daunting times, there is no such thing as anything routine.
While off duty, I urge you and your family members to not wear any police related items such as T-shirts or chains that suggest a connection to the law enforcement community. I would also suggest removing police family member stickers from your personal vehicles.
The hatred directed toward the police could not be more real. Some educated people have even described the Dallas man who shot 12 police officers – killing 5 - as a martyr.
I am not overreacting when I tell you to be careful – everywhere you go and in everything you do, whether on or off duty. The stakes are too high, and New York is always a favorite target of dissenters and terrorists.
When we were sworn in as police officers, we vowed to do whatever is necessary to keep the public safe. That is a vow we all take very seriously, but we must also be committed to keeping ourselves safe amid ever-increasing dangers.
We and our families, as well as our colleagues and the millions of law-abiding people that we protect on a daily basis, deserve nothing less.
Fraternally,
Ed Mullins
Remove decals from your personal vehicles and I strongly suggest trading in any FOP plates for standard state issued plates, especially if your family also drives the car in question. Unlike you, they will not be armed if the car is targeted.
It's a sad world we live in.
As you are aware, Erik, it's going to get a lot worse, before it gets better. That is a sad truth we just cannot escape.
ReplyDeleteDo everything you can-- and whatever is necessary -- to keep yourself and your family safe. And thank you ever so much for your service, my friend.