To the Editor:
It is with utmost disappointment that we, the members of the Swampscott Police Department, are compelled to write in response to the accusations made in an official document from the Town of Swampscott, Office of the Select Board, dated on Jan. 6, 2021.
The Swampscott Police Department has held itself to the highest standards of integrity and professionalism through a challenging political climate over the past several months. Volatility has increased dramatically over the course of weekly protests occurring in Swampscott, since April 2020. Officers have worked tirelessly to ensure the safety of members of the public who are exercising their right to participate in peaceful protest. The men and women of the Swampscott Police Department are educated and experienced police officers, who have utilized de-escalation training to minimize interactions of injury and arrest at these protests.
We respectfully implore the citizens of Swampscott and those visiting our community to appreciate that a police officer’s role is not that of judge or jury. When probable cause for a crime occurs, it is our obligation, under the oath we swore as officers of the law, to act in accordance with the judicial process, regardless of race, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, or political beliefs.
It is disheartening that the tone of the aforementioned document from the Office of the Select Board suggests that the officers of the Swampscott Police Department acted in any way unlawfully, unprofessionally, or unethically in regard to race.
Respectfully Submitted,
Swampscott Police Union
Local 417
