WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — White House measures limiting US law enforcement access to protective gear are untimely as assaults on policemen have increased, National Association of Police Organizations Executive Director William Johnson told Sputnik.
“As attacks on police officers grow in number and violence across the United States, we feel strongly that this is the worst possible time to prevent officers from receiving defensive items such as helmets, shields and protective vests,” Johnson said on Tuesday.
“Our Association is concerned that the White House proposal will make it more difficult for local police departments to obtain the equipment they need to properly protect their officers,” Johnson said.
US Fraternal Order of Police National President Chuck Canterbury called the announced measures disappointing. He argued that it would be more reasonable to focus on how and when the equipment is deployed.
In recent months, the United States has been hit by mass protests over police brutality and racism, after a series of incidents involving white police officers using excessive force against black people that receive extensive media coverage.
The last wave of protests erupted in Baltimore, Maryland following the funeral of 25-year-old Freddie Gray, who died of spinal cord injuries sustained in a police van on April 12. Fifteen police officers sustained injuries during the Baltimore riots.
