PAX Centurion - May / June 2015

www.bppa.org PAX CENTURION • June/July 2015 • Page 39 P lease read the attached letters from Bill Johnson, the Execu- tive Director of the National Association of Police Organiza- tions (NAPO) and Mike Glasser, the President of the Police Association of New Orleans (PANO). I have also attached the list of advertisers for CNN Headline News. Please consider sending some type of communication to one, a few or all of the companies listed to express the outrage at what CNN employees said and your concern with their relationship with CNN. ThankYou. Dear members, As you have no doubt heard, CNN has extended its ongoing streak of anti-police rhetoric and misinformation by calling the violent attacker at the Dallas Police Department “courageous and brave.”  This is from the same network that promulgated the whole “hands up, don’t shoot” myth after the Ferguson, Missouri shooting.  Below please find the text of a letter from NAPO Executive Board member and PANO president Mike Glasser instituting a call for a boycott of CNN and its advertisers.  NAPO has already been working over the weekend with staff members of Congress to put pressure on the presi- dent to rescind his order banning or restricting defensive equipment for police.  This weekend’s attack in Dallas demonstrates the very real need for armor and high-caliber weapons for police to defend themselves and the public they protect.  If all of our member groups can help get this word out and ask their officers, family members and friends to write even one letter or email to a CNN advertiser, it will make a difference!  NAPO can take the lead from this end by writing directly to the headquarters of the major sponsors. Here is Mike’s letter: To whom it may concern, Being a citizen with an avid interest in news, current events, and social trends, like many folks I rely on mainstream media for ac- curate and contemporary reporting. It is no secret that some media sources will interview pundits and collaborators with views more aligned with the station’s own views thus casting the light of events in the desired shade. This is generally recognized and an accepted practice. Experience will teach the viewer what to expect and one can generally compensate by watching a variety of news sources to acquire a balanced perspective. As the president of the police labor organization representing New Orleans police officers, I am frequently interviewed locally and oc- casionally nationally. I have often seen my own interviews edited and presented entirely differently depending upon the station doing the reporting. I mention this to give perspective to my comments which follow. I have had a lot of experience with how various news outlets distort news and commentary depending on their agendas. I saw the piece with CNN anchor Fredricka Whitfield regarding the attack on the Dallas (TX) Police headquarters early Saturday morning. I was appalled when I heard Whitfield describe the attacker, armed with automatic weapons and incendiary devices and using an armored vehicle as, “courageous” and “brave.” NAPO fights CNNHeadline News misinformation See CNN Misinformation on page 44 The state of policing in 2015… From Secretary on page 38 and also enjoy your days off. The idea of fighting because the City wants to “limit” us to 18 hours in a day or 90 hours worked a week leaves me wondering how we could defend it. I think it would be difficult. I recognize that there will be issues with this, especially in the beginning (which coincides with the busiest time of the year for our members). We will address each issue and try to ensure the Depart- ment is respectful of the agreement we have entered into. As I have said before the BPPA is a Labor Union. A Labor Union that advocated for their members to work more for less pay would not be a very good Labor Union in my opinion. BPPA Canteen Trailer Events T he BPPA Canteen Trailer is being put to good use. Savin Hill Baseball Opening, the Sgt. Robert Guiney Motorcycle Run and TheWoundedVets Run in East Boston are just a couple of the events where members went out with the trailer, broke out the grills and helped the event coordinators feed the masses. The truck was also brought down to NY for the funeral of NYPD Officer Brian Moore’s funeral. The BPPA received a great many calls from NewYork of- ficers, as well as our own members that were able to attend, grateful for the gesture. Our Academy class borrowed the trailer (under the watchful eyes of a few Reps) for their community service day. On Dorchester Day the trailer was out at C11 to make sure the members doing the parade did so on a full stomach and hydrated. There have been a number of members that have stepped up to help. By all reports they actually enjoyed the experience. If it is something you are willing to get involved in please send me an email at cbroderick@bppa.org and let me know. We will keep a running list and if you available your help will be more than welcome. Keep in mind that in addition to making sure our members are taken care of for foreseeable extended events the BPPA canteen trailer can provide the BPPA, and the Department, with a lot of goodwill. Some of these events are simply a partnership with organizers where we show up, volunteer some time grilling the food they provide, and just being all around good girls and guys. Other than a little bit of time from our members it’s an inexpensive way to show the community we are not the bad guy or bogey man some would have them believe. If our image, which in my opinion has always been good, is bet- ter publicized I think it will make all our members jobs a lot easier. If there is an event that you are involved with, or are looking to be involved with, and would like the BPPA to be a part of it, please let us know. We will not be able to be everywhere but with the membership involved we can do a lot.