Dismissing charges against protesters

The police union believes all charges related to these protests should stand.

FROM ONE DEPARTMENTTO THE NEXT.FIRST TONIGHT -- ERASINGCHARGES FILED AGAINSTSOME PROTESTERS.TOMORROW A PROPOSALWILL GO BEFORE ASPECIAL COMMITTEE -- TOTHROW OUT CERTAINCASES -- FILED BY POLICE.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER ANDRESGUTIERREZ TALKED TOTHE FRATERNAL ORDER OFPOLICE -- WHO SAYS --THIS COULD HURT THECITY DOWN THE ROAD.Sgt.

Brad Lemon/President,KansasCity FOP Lodge 99when you start getting rid ofcases where police officersneed the right to tell people tofollow directions.

What does ittell you-it's anarchy.WHICH IS WHY THE UNIONREPRESENTING K-C-P-DOFFICERS BELIEVE ALL THEINDIVIDUALS TICKETED ORCHARGED DURING LASTWEEKEND'S PROTESTSHOULD GO THROUGH THEJUDICIAL SYSTEM.Sgt.

Brad Lemon/President,KansasCity FOP Lodge 99rules were enforced at thesame time that bricks werebeing thrown.

You know, atthat time, it was time to to getrid of the crowds and protectthe protect the people thatwere standing in front of thoseprotesters from being struck inthe head and being put in thehospital.KANSAS CITY F-O-PPRESIDENT SGT.

BRADLEMON'S REMARKS COMEA DAY BEFORE A SPECIALCOMMITTEE IS SET TOHEAR TESTIMONY ON THISPIECE OF LEGISLATIONINTRODUCED THURSDAYBY COUNCILMEMBERBRANDON ELLINGTON.Councilman BrandonEllington/KCMO ThirdDistrict-at-Large"And it would get rid of all thecharges for the non-violentprotesters that was arrestedduring the protest"SPECIFICALLY, THOSECHARGED UNDERCHAPTER 50 AND 70 OFTHE CITY CODES--THATCOVER A BROAD NUMBEROF OFFENSES LIKE -DRINKING IN PUBLIC,DISORDERLY CONDUCT,AND TRAFFIC LAWS.ALTHOUGH THE CASESFALL UNDER MUNICIPALCOURT......THE JACKSON COUNTYPROSECUTOR HASDENOUNCED PUNISHMENT.Jean Peters Baker/JacksonCounty,MO Prosecutor"Protesters have an absoluteconstitutional right to be hereto be on the plaza and whenyou step off the curb youshould not be prosecutedbecause the constitutionprotects you"Sgt.

Brad Lemon/President,KansasCity FOP Lodge 99We're sworn to enforce thoselaws and we're told to enforcethem, and we make thoseenforcement actions and tohave a group of people whodon't like those actionsarbitrarily because oh my god,it's up.

It doesn't fit theirpolitical You know, it Youknow, then then why do wehave laws in the first place?LEMON WARNS THAT IFTHIS LAW PASSESSURROUNDING POLICEAGENCIES WOULD BEWARY OF COMING TO HELPK-C-P-D IF MASS PROTESTBREAK OUT AGAIN.Sgt.

Brad Lemon/President,KansasCity FOP Lodge 99we do support the movement.We do support fact that youknow, equal treatment.

Butyou can do that at the sametime of supporting laws and tosupport people that enforcethose laws.IN KANSAS CITY.

ANDRESGUTIERREZ.

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