In a striking rebuke to former President Donald Trump, over 60 active and retired law enforcement officials have delivered a resounding endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for president. This significant move comes as Trump, facing conviction on 34 felony counts, prepares to address the police union—an opportunity he is expected to use to falsely position himself as a champion of law enforcement.
The endorsers include a roster of distinguished law enforcement leaders from across the country, such as elected sheriffs in Durham and Henderson, North Carolina, and active sheriffs and police chiefs from Alabama to California, Michigan to New York. Notable figures like former Washington, DC Police Chief Charles Ramsey and ex-Dane County, Wisconsin Sheriff David Mahoney, as well as January 6th critics Harry Dunn and Aquilino Gonell, have added their names to the endorsement list.
In a powerful letter, these officials underscored Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, as “the only candidates we trust to keep our communities safe.” They praised Harris’s extensive career as a prosecutor and attorney general, highlighting her track record of combating violent crime, securing convictions, and enforcing accountability. Walz’s tenure as governor, marked by significant investments in law enforcement, was also lauded for contributing to a record decline in murders and advancing vital gun safety reforms.
“We trust Vice President Harris and Governor Walz to support law enforcement’s work to keep communities safe because they have been doing it their entire careers. Throughout her career, Vice President Harris has worked side by side with law enforcement to protect the public and hold offenders accountable,” they said in the letter.
The officials sharply contrasted Harris and Walz with Trump, denouncing the former president as a threat to law enforcement and public safety. They accused Trump of undermining police, attacking the rule of law, and proposing policies that would cripple law enforcement agencies. They pointed to Trump’s history of downplaying the violence against police officers on January 6th, his promise to pardon the insurrectionists, and his proposed cuts to federal law enforcement funding.
“Trump has repeatedly shown he does not respect law enforcement or the rule of law. After his supporters injured police officers on January 6th, he promised to pardon them. When he was convicted of 34 felony counts, he attacked the system instead of taking responsibility. He has called for defunding federal law enforcement. He said he would terminate the Constitution, weaponize the Department of Justice, and rule as a ‘dictator.’ He creates disorder that puts law enforcement and all Americans at risk,” they said.
“The former president has shown a flagrant disregard for the law and the safety of officers,” the endorsers declared. “His actions endanger not only law enforcement but the entire nation.”
Harry Dunn, a former Capitol Police officer, condemned Trump for his role in inciting the Capitol attack, which resulted in the deaths of five officers.
“Trump’s rhetoric and actions have jeopardized my life and the lives of my fellow officers. He has proven he only values law enforcement when it suits his personal interests,” Dunn said. “He’s going to tell my fellow officers that he’s their ally, he’s their friend, and he’s the candidate, the candidate of law and order — well, after what I experienced on January 6, I can assure you that he is not. He only backs the blue who are loyal to him.”
Dunn added: “He doesn’t care that it was because he encouraged a mob of violent insurrectionists to march on the Capitol that five officers died because of that day, and now he’s running to pardon those very same insurrectionists … he doesn’t care about Capitol Police or any law enforcement. He only cares about getting power for himself.”
Sheriff Clarence Burkhead of Durham County, North Carolina, also criticized Trump’s record, pointing to his proposed cuts to law enforcement funding and attempts to weaponize federal agencies for personal gain. Burkhead accused Trump of undermining law enforcement efforts and prioritizing his own political interests over public safety.
“Not only does Trump want to slash law enforcement funding, but he also wants to strip agencies like mine of crucial federal assets by weaponizing the FBI and Justice Department to prosecute his political enemies,” he said. “Under Trump, the Feds would waste precious time and money on his personal grievances, instead of pouring valuable resources into communities like mine that rely on assistance from our federal partners.”
“Trump has repeatedly demonstrated to the American people that he cares about one thing himself,” he concluded.
