The N.A.P.O. Hookers

by Joe Horn

We just witnessed the spectacle of Al Gore lying through his teeth, (again) about cop killer bullets, plastic guns and such with a group of NAPO (National Association of Police Officers) uniformed police standing behind him, offering credibility and support with their presence, uniforms, badges and guns while he lied, again, to the American People.

Cops are supposed to remain above politics on the job. When I was out there on the beat, you'd get fired if you supported any thing political or otherwise in uniform or endorsed a product or politician and mentioned your status even in civilian clothes. I don't know if that's still the case, but that's still the proper, honest and correct way for a cop to conduct him or herself.

I'd like to see if we can find out what their (NAPO Cops) status was with Gore.....paid or volunteer? On duty or off? If they were off duty, why the uniforms? Highly inappropriate, regardless. Who is NAPO, who do they represent and how many rank and file cops from which jurisdictions do they claim to represent? I never heard of them till now. If they're a union, there should be a disclaimer, and all political support should be offered though PACS and their spokesperson should be a paid civilian union staffmember. If it is a union, what did they get from the candidate for letting him use their cops as stage props for his specious Law and Order rant?

I believe the use of uniform cops standing behind any politician is unethical at the very least. 

Many people mistakenly believe that WE ALL (Law Enforcement) support Gore, Clinton, Reno or any other politician and his/her "agenda" because they've seen uniform officers standing there behind him/her time and time again. If the NAPO cops were there voluntarily, shame on them for sullying their uniform. If they were ordered to be there, shame on them for not having the integrity and self respect to say NO. 

Cops don't endorse politicians; they enforce law and serve the taxpayers and citizens through maintaining community safety fairly and impartially without political influence upon them.

I resent seeing cops, paid by tax dollars, allowing themselves to be used by a politician who is standing there, in front of these NAPO cops, lying about Cop Killer Bullets, which do not exist, plastic guns, which do not exist, generating fear and anger in the public. He is lying to the public with these cops behind him, and their presence indicates honesty, truth and "Force of Law".

If that's not bad enough, at the same time they are participating in PARTISAN politics, and in doing such, are lying to the people whom they serve and who pay their salaries. It also creates intimidation in the minds of citizens who, seeing that this politician has all these uniformed cops standing behind him, will believe that if they oppose this particular politician, he or one of his "aides" will or could have the cops roust them or "get" them somehow.

This type of abuse of power truly makes me angry; it is one of the most dishonest, loathsome and offensive practices in American Politics and Law Enforcement. This is why the police should always remain above politics, except for the personal politics as an individual citizen - something I will always be first and foremost.

Anyone that uses their badge and uniform to support any political issue or candidate is what?

Dishonest? Unethical? Amoral? A whore? What good is accomplished by destroying the idea of IMPARTIALITY and NEUTRALITY of the POLICE in the public's mind? It took years to separate the cops from the politicians in this country.......are we going backwards? 

Using cops standing behind politicians, implying police endorsement of any issue or candidate reveals nothing less than unabashed corruption at it's most shameful and disgraceful level.

Joe Horn
Deputy Sheriff, Retired
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department 
My time, my computer, my opinion.