The Fraternal Order of Police has endorsed former President Donald Trump, citing his promises to enhance public safety and border security.
It’s the third consecutive election cycle in which the organization has backed Mr. Trump and is a blow to the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris, who is touting support among police officers as she seeks to convince voters she is tough on crime.
“Public safety and border security will be important issues in the last months of this campaign,” FOP National President Patric Yoes said in a statement. “Our members carefully considered the positions of the candidates on the issues and there was no doubt — zero doubt — as to who they want as our president for the next four years: Donald J. Trump.”
Mr. Trump accepted the endorsement in an address at the FOP’s annual meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina on Friday.
The GOP nominee promised to restore public safety that he said has been degraded under the Biden-Harris administration. He pledged to provide “the backup like you’ve never had before” to the police, who have come under attack by liberal groups seeking to defund law enforcement after a string of police brutality incidents.
Mr. Trump said Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris have led a war on law enforcement that has contributed to crime waves across the nation. He said the “number one” issue people talk to him about is crime.
“The day I take office is the day Kamala’s crime wave comes to an end,” Mr. Trump said. “I was not a de-funder like Kamala — she was a ten-year de-funder.”
Ms. Harris praised the defund the police movement in 2020 and also called for communities to “redirect resources” away from law enforcement. She also supported removing police officers from schools.
She’s now pivoted away from many of her liberal views as she seeks to win over voters in battleground states.
Ahead of Mr. Trump’s address to the police group, the Harris campaign released a letter signed by 101 law enforcement officials who endorsed the Harris-Walz ticket and declared that she is “the only candidate we trust to keep our communities safe.”
Mr. Trump received the support of two-thirds of the FOP’s 46 state lodges and 377,000 members, who voted for their preference.
According to FOP officials, an FOP committee “met personally” with Mr. Trump ahead of the decision, “but no similar meeting was granted by the Harris-Walz campaign.”
The organization credited Mr. Trump with standing by law enforcement in the summer of 2020, when rioting and a “defund the police” movement broke out across the nation after George Floyd died in the custody of police officers who were later convicted of killing him.
The FOP has mostly endorsed Republicans since 1992. The organization endorsed one Democrat, President Bill Clinton, in 1996.
• Susan Ferrechio can be reached at sferrechio@washingtontimes.com.
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