FOP Pushes for Hate Crime Punishment for Attack on Police Officers
CHARLOTTE, NC — Tuesday’s murder of an Illinois Police Officer and other officer shootings have the North Carolina Fraternal Order of Police pushing to make shooting an officer a hate crime.
Police shootings are scenarios Trisha Norkett runs through her mind daily.
Her son, CMPD Officer John Burnette, and Officer Andy Nobles were murdered in 1993. Their convicted killer, Alden Harden is on death row.
“It breaks my heart really bad,” said Norkett.
However, the wave of recent officer shootings feel like part of a storm of distrust to her and other officers.
23 officers killed in nine months according to Officer Down Memorial Page.
The ambush of a Houston trooper shot while pumping gas is particularly troubling.
“There’s hate, and police officers have become the target,” said Norkett. “That’s sad because police officers are there to help people.”
CMPD Detective Garry McFadden says police recognize dozens of officers are killed each year, but this week’s deaths come at a time when law enforcement is under scrutiny for the use of deadly force.
In Charlotte, groups confronted police, venting their frustration with the mistrial of CMPD Officer Wes Kerrick who shot an unarmed Jonathan Ferrell 10 times.
Mecklenburg County Fraternal Order of Police President Todd Walther is looking at the risk officers could be shot out of hate.
“I think the risk right now is high,” said Walther.
The FOP will lobby lawmakers in May to make an attack on law enforcement punishable as a hate crime because that would be a federal offense with harsher penalties.
“There’s always been problems, but violence doesn’t solve it,” said Walther. “We’ve got to sit down and fix it. It’s not going to happen overnight.”
Norkett hopes the current climate doesn’t deter future officers.
“It’s in their heart. It’s a calling,” said Norkett.
