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U.S. Department of Justice to Place Local Law Enforcement Agencies under Federal Consent Decree for Not Reporting Officers Who Participated in the U.S. Capitol Attack

New York, NY – January 18, 2020 – Today, as the nation celebrates the legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the National Coalition of Justice Practitioners (NCJP) calls on the United States Department of Justice (USDOJ) to place local law enforcement agencies under a federal consent decree for harboring officers who participated in the insurrection on January 6 at the United States Capitol, the seat of American democracy.

            When a mob that included law enforcement officers urged by President Donald Trump to march to the Capitol and use “strength and not weakness,” it clashed with Capitol Police, breached the building, prompting the suspension of a joint session of Congress assembled to confirm a free and fair presidential election. As the mob made their way through the hallways of the Capitol, they shouted racial epithets and anti-American slogans, destroyed and stole government property, and assaulted law enforcement officers – a melee that resulted in the deaths of five American citizens.

“For decades law enforcement agencies have been aware of systemic racism and were knowledgeable about the racial bigotry in their ranks,” said Charles Billups, a founding member of the NCJP, Retired Law Enforcement Officer, and Chairperson of the New York State Grand Council of Guardians (GCGNY). “However, law enforcement leaders have done nothing to address the longstanding issue of inequities and inequalities in law enforcement,” Billups continued. 

            Local law enforcement officers have been further fired up and emboldened by police labor unions that supported the Trump administration and have fanned the flames of racism and encouraged hostility toward officers of color. “These domestic terrorists who stormed our nation’s capital willingly participated and encouraged an attempted coup,” said Sgt. Anthony Miranda (Ret.) NYPD, Chief of Police ACS New York City Administration of Childrens Services (Ret.), National Chairperson National Latino Officers Association (NLOA). “There must be consequences for all law enforcement officers who contributed to the chaos, violence, death and destruction on January 6,” continued Miranda.

            The NCJP invites all law enforcement and justice practitioners to join them to call for the USDOJ to hold law enforcement leaders accountable for shielding these criminals from prosecution.  We stand together in the legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to fight against racism, hate and bigotry especially among those who have taken an oath to protect and serve. We are committed to the fair administration of justice for all Americans.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL COALITION OF JUSTICE PRACTITIONERS (NCJP)

The NCJP is a national coalition of over 10,000 diverse law enforcement and justice practitioners dedicated to respecting the rule of law and order in the fair administration of justice. The NCJP is comprised of members of the National Latino Officers Association (NLOA) and 17 organizations under the umbrella of The Grand Council of Guardians (GCG), representing the NYPD Guardians, NYC Corrections Guardians, NYS Parole Guardians, NYS Court Guardians, NYC Probation Guardians, MTA Police Guardians, NYS Police Guardians, Port Authority Police/Bi-State Coalition, Nassau County Sheriff Guardians, Nassau County Police Guardians, Yonkers Guardians, and Guardians Association of New York State Troopers along with individual justice practitioners affiliated with Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP), National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice (NABCJ), National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers (NABLEO), Newark Bronze Shields, and National Organization of Retired State Troopers (NORST).

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