Police Call on Kerry to Stop Misrepresenting Their Support

October 14, 2004

Today Chuck Canterbury, the President of the nation's
largest police labor organization, called on John
Kerry to stop making misleading statements regarding
his support from the law enforcement community. Both
on the campaign trail and in Wednesday night's debate
in Tempe, AZ, Senator Kerry has alluded that he has
the support of the majority of these brave men and
women.

"As the elected leader of the largest organization
representing America's Federal, State and local law
enforcement officers, I believe it's important to
point out yet again that we do not support his
candidacy for President," Canterbury said. "And to be
perfectly frank, the groups which do support him
actually share the same membership rolls and, taken
together, probably comprise less than one-quarter of
our nation's police officers."

Canterbury further noted that unlike the organizations
which Senator Kerry touts, F.O.P. members as a whole
decided that the Fraternal Order of Police would
endorse the reelection of President George W. Bush.
They based their decision, he said, on the record of
the Bush Administration in supporting America's first
responders­-including helping to secure passage
earlier this year of H.R. 218, the Law Enforcement
Officers Safety Act, the organization's top
legislative priority. Bush also successfully fought to
greatly enhance the benefits for the families of
officers killed in the line of duty.

"While Kerry was flying around the country campaigning
and leaving the actual work of the nation to his
colleagues in the Senate, the President was out there
working on our behalf," Canterbury said. "Senators
Kerry and Edwards have missed so many crucial votes
this Congress that I was beginning to believe there
were only 98 members of the U.S. Senate."

Canterbury also said it was the height of irony that
Kerry would use his position on the reauthorization of
the assault weapons ban as a reflection of his support
from police. "First, if a police officer is killed by
an AK-47, Kerry would oppose the death penalty for the
killer," Canterbury said. "In addition, where was he
when this issue was being discussed in the 108th
Congress? Where was he when we were working to pass
H.R. 218? When it came time to help push for final
passage of legislation important to law enforcement,
Senator Kerry was regrettably A.W.O.L."

"Given the facts, I would greatly appreciate it if
Senator Kerry would refrain from making similar
whimsical assertions regarding his support from the
law enforcement community," Canterbury said. "The real
majority of my fellow officers are standing behind
President Bush, because he has been there for us."

The Fraternal Order of Police is the nation's largest
law enforcement labor organization, representing more
than 318,000 members.


For more information or elaboration, please do not
hesitate to contact the National F.O.P. Legislative
Office at 202.547.8189 or via e-mail.


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