The head of one of the NYPD Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA), one of the largest police unions in the United States, endorsed President Donald Trump for reelection on Nov. 3.
“Your vote is your choice,” Mullins said. “I just ask that you remember that it is more than a choice between two men."
Citing slogans and unrest over the summer, Mullins said Trump would fully support police officers while a Democratic administration would “abandon, defund, and politically indict police officers.”
“The Trump Administration has an undisputed record of supporting police officers at a time when many other segments of society are abandoning or openly attacking us,” Mullins said. “The Administration publically [sic] pushed back on irresponsible policies ranging from sanctuary city mandates releasing dangerous criminals back onto the streets, to efforts to deny officers of body armor and other life-saving gear, to misguided mandates revising operating procedures in ways that endanger officers and public safety.”
In recent months, Trump has received a significant number of endorsements from law enforcement unions across the United States, and he's frequently touted their support.
The largest NYPD union, Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York, endorsed Trump in August.
“I have 36 years in this job, 21 as a president of this fine organization. I cannot remember when we’ve ever endorsed for the office of president of the United States until now. That’s how important this is,” said Patrick Lynch, the president of the union. "We are fighting for our lives out there. We don’t want this to spread to the rest of this country."
Lynch went on to note the wave of anti-police animus over the summer, along with civil unrest, riots, and vandalism in the wake of George Floyd's death in May. Meanwhile, left-wing groups such as Black Lives Matter have pushed efforts to defund or even abolish police departments.
Law enforcement officials said the demonization of officers and police forces has led to a spike in crime.
While Democratic presidential challenger Joe Biden has denounced the riots and unrest, Trump has frequently described himself as the "law and order" candidate while saying he would declare anarcho-communist group Antifa a terrorist organization and offering to send in federal agents to certain areas. Federal officers were deployed to an area around a Portland, Oregon, courthouse earlier this year after left-wing agitators attacked the building.
