ENTIRE Florida SWAT Team Resigns Over “Political Climate” Backlash After Chief & Leaders Kneel

It's bad enough that police officers across the nation are being demoralized.

But when the tactical specialists and "cavalry" in your police department quit, that's bad news.

SWAT teams are known for handling the most dangerous of situations.

Fox News confirms that today's polital climate contributed to the SWAT team's decision to resign en masse:

Ten members of a police SWAT team in a South Florida city quit the unit this week, concerned about “today’s political climate” and its impact on their jobs, according to a report.

In a letter dated Tuesday, the officers in Hallandale Beach, Broward County, complained of being “minimally equipped, under trained and often times restrained” in performing their duties, Miami FOX station WSVN-TV reported.

The officers – who were leaving the SWAT unit but not resigning from the force -- wrote that they were concerned that city officials were “placing the safety of dogs over the safety of team members.”

[...]

The letter and resignations came as police officers across the U.S. were facing a high level of scrutiny and criticism following the May 25 death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis.

In Hallandale Beach, the officers signing the letter to police Chief Sonia Quinones write that they feel unsupported by the city’s leadership – as well as the command staff of the city’s police department.

They write that they were displeased that top officials with the Hallandale Beach police kneeled with protesters during a Monday demonstration, WSVN reported.

“Until these conditions and sentiments are rectified and addressed,” the officers write, “we cannot safely, effectively and in good faith carry out duties in this capacity without putting ourselves and our families at this needless increased level of risk.”

Hallandale Beach City Manager Greg Chavarria responded to the SWAT officers’ letter in a statement to WSVN.

Chavarria wrote that the officers signing the letter have agreed to meet with the chief on Monday afternoon to discuss their concerns – and insisted that their departures from the SWAT unit did not pose a public safety vulnerability for residents.

“The officers who submitted their resignation from their SWAT assignment include the newly elected president of the IUPA Police Union,” Chavarria writes in part. “They specifically mention their displeasure with the Chief joining members of our community in taking a knee against racism, hatred, and intolerance earlier this week. They have incorrectly stated the gesture was in support of an elected official. This is simply not true."

As far left liberals grow more critical of the police and law enforcement, it's critical that police forces know that they have the support of local leadership.

They must be given the support necessary to be able to do their jobs and protect their local communities.

Unfortunately...

 It's not just the entire SWAT team in South Florida.

Police officers across the nation are re-thinking their line of work as anti-police sentiments spread, thanks largely to Democratic talking points of defunding or abolishing the police.

In Minneapolis, where the protests and riots started, 7 police officers have already resigned, according to The Hill:

At least seven Minneapolis police officers have resigned amid the protests over police brutality and racial inequality, and more than half a dozen are in the process of leaving, department officials told the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Minneapolis Police Department (MDP) insiders told the newspaper that officers are feeling misunderstood and stuck in the middle of a state probe, protests, city leaders and the media after the death of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis police custody sparked nationwide protests.

City spokesman Casper Hill confirmed to the newspaper that seven officers had left the department without providing demographic information. Police insiders said several officers in exit interviews pointed to a lack of support from police leadership and city officials as the demonstrations intensified.

The newspaper also reported that another seven officers are in the process of filing separation paperwork and that several others had to be convinced to stay. The departures include patrol officers and detectives.

The resignations come as the department is facing a state human rights investigation and calls for defunding and disbandment after former officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes before Floyd died. Chauvin and three other officers present were fired from the department.

Henry Halvorson, deputy police chief, signaled in an email to supervisors obtained by the Star Tribune earlier this month that officers were walking off the job without filing paperwork.

Police spokesman John Elder told the newspaper that the resignations would not affect the department's ability to provide public safety services.

“There’s nothing that leads us to believe that at this point the numbers are so great that it’s going to be problematic,” Elder said. “People seek to leave employment for a myriad reasons — the MPD is no exception.”

Trump has made it very clear that he supports law enforcement.

After all, we need the police to help keep the streets safe and to ensure that we live in a civilized society!

Law and order is necessary for a healthy, functioning society!

This November, the choice between parties and their support for law enforcement couldn't be any clearer!