KRISKEY: On Police Accountability Bill, don’t attack union for responding to poorly written legislation

Submitted by Jack Kriskey

Seems some, not all, Greenwich Democrats are angry because police union members in Greenwich and Stamford decided to make a statement by endorsing Republican candidates Ryan Fazio (State Senate, 36th) and Kimberly Fiorello (State Representative, 149th).

Police unions are made up of individuals, men and women, who have a First Amendment right to express their frustration with the flawed Police Accountability Bill H.B. 6004. Attacking those individuals for responding to poorly written legislation that makes their difficult job even more difficult, doubles down on the perception that democrats do not support our men and women in blue. 

The fact that the unions, who historically remain neutral, decided to speak out is evidence of how poor the Bill is. I put my faith in the people charged with serving and protecting our communities, who know what it is like on the ground in real time, over those who rush through legislation without ample input from those they represent for a perceived political gain. Because remember, those union members are us. They are our brothers, sisters, friends and neighbors and they have a right to speak. 

Kudos to them for having the courage to.

Editor’s note: Letters to the Editor in support of local candidates in the Nov 3, 2020 election may be submitted to [email protected] for consideration beginning July 15 and with a hard deadline of Oct 26, 2020 at noon.