To All MassCOP Members,
I can’t thank you enough for all of your hard work yesterday defending OUR rights for Due Process, Qualified Immunity, and an open and transparent process. MassCOP has stated from day one that we welcome better policing standards and the opportunity to be part of a genuine reform effort. The officers of this strong union don’t use chokeholds, because we were never trained to do so. We don’t use excessive force, .because it’s wrong. We are open to a fair certification process and a commission that is fairly composed of independent members, including our peers from the law enforcement profession.
Yesterday your voices were heard loud and clear! Our elected officials at the State House have taken notice and are rethinking the sham of a process that Senate leaders put into place to ram S. 2800 down our throats. They had hoped to accomplish this out of the public eye, astonishingly with no public hearing on one of the most important pieces of legislation of the 2020 session. But you dragged this process back out into the open and held these Senators accountable.
Scott A. Hovsepian
President
John E. Nelson
First Vice President
Robert W. Murphy
Secretary/Treasurer
P: 508-581-9336
F: 508-581-9564
Every one of you is a professional and by swearing the oath to defend the Constitution of the United States, to defend the Massachusetts Constitution, and to defend the citizens and property of your communities you deserve the respect of every elected official. There are those, at this very moment, that believe you do not deserve their respect for the job you do day in and day out. They will never understand the emotional toll, they will never understand the physical toll, and they will NEVER understand the toll it takes on your family.
Yesterday you showed those who would consider you less than a convicted felon that you are proud of the work that you do, that you are individuals who are willing to sacrifice for your convictions, and that you are strong and resolute in your belief that we deserve basic Due Process rights.
Today is round two of this fight, the fight for Due Process rights. Everyone concentrated on Qualified Immunity so much yesterday; our detractors believe that Due Process rights do not matter to us. Today it is time to let them know that Due Process and Qualified Immunity go hand and hand. These are two subjects that we will NEVER stop fighting for! I implore you to find the strength to call, email, and communicate to your elected officials again. The other side is gearing up for the fight and they do not believe you have the strength to do it two days, three days, or even four days in a row. The goal today is to make yesterday look like a walk in the park .
Due process rights are currently being applied to the murderers of Officer Ronald Tarentino Jr., Sgt. Sean Gannon, and Sgt. Michael Chesna. Is it really too much to ask they we receive the same democratic liberties as they do? Please make the calls and ask family and friends to call as well!
In Solidarity,
Scott A. Hovsepian
President
