Officer Reassigned After Complaining About Having to ‘Babysit’ Black Lives Matter ‘Fools’
The Portland Police Bureau removed an officer from street duty after he complained on Twitter about having to “babysit” #BlackLivesMatter activists, referring to the protesters as “these fools.”
“Black Lives Matter is planning a protest at Lloyd Center on Black Friday. Oh joy,” officer John Hurlman wrote in a since-deleted tweet. “Stuck late again at work to babysit these fools.”
Confirmed – this is the questionable #BlackLivesMatter tweet from @PortlandPolice Officer John Hurlman pic.twitter.com/au7APQJhCN
— Mike Benner (@MikeBennerKGW) November 25, 2015
Hurlman, who’s been with the force for over two decades, was reassigned pending an investigation into the post, Portland police Acting Chief Donna Henderson said Tuesday.
“This post is in no way a reflection on how members of the Portland Police Bureau view these community groups or their peaceful expression of free speech,” Henderson said in a statement.
Teressa Raiford, a community activist told the Oregonian she is “highly offended” by the officer’s tweet. “I think it’s very unprofessional, especially someone in his position,” Raiford said.
TheBlack Lives Matter – Not Black Friday protest, hosted by Don’t Shoot Portland, is a march against police brutality and racial discrimination. A Facebook event for the event asks supporters to participate “if black lives and your life matters more than Black Friday cheap deals.”
Noting that “tensions are running high across the United States, especially with recent incidents in other cities,” Henderson insisted her officers “will work to ensure a safe, secure and orderly event for all community members and to minimize disruptions to traffic.”
“At the Portland Police Bureau, we are mindful of that and remain committed to building relationships and trust in the community we serve,” Henderson added.
The officer’s wife, Christy Hurlman, clarified her husband’s tweet Tuesday night in a Facebook post, writing that her husband “spent 25 years serving the City of Portland and her citizens, and has done so because he is a good man with a good heart.” She said it “was not his intention to belittle” the #BlackLivesMatter movement.
“Portland can be assured, however, that the many men and women I know who serve this city, care a great deal about everyone’s life. It is a profession that requires compassion, without that trait it would be too long and too hard of a career,” she wrote.
Update – a statement from @PortlandPolice Officer John Hurlman’s wife pic.twitter.com/dwpciVoBYm — Mike Benner (@MikeBennerKGW) November 25, 2015
[Featured image via screengrab]
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