FOP Releases Statement On Departmental Charges Against Freddie Gray Officers
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police has issued a statement regarding new information that five officers who have been cleared in the Freddie Gray case are now facing a second wave of charges -- this time from the Police Department itself.
RELATED: Officers Could Be Fired Following Freddie Gray Investigation
In a statement from President Gene Ryan, the FOP says that the "administrative charges are nothing more than that -- they are charges."
The officers were cleared by the court system, but, that doesn't clear them of breaking police rules. Now, they'll have to face those charges and three officers could be fired.
"We have no reason to believe that the results of a fair trial board will be any different than the result of all 27 of the criminal counts which uniformly rejected any wrongdoing on the part of the officers."
Police van driver Officer Caesar Goodson could be fired, as well as Lieutenant Brian Rice and Sergeant Alicia White.
The FOP does go on to say "the citizens of Baltimore should be outraged at their leaders, and finds issue with the administrative prosecution.
"The administrative prosecution of the officers will do nothing more than perpetuate a police force hesitant to exercise judgment when interacting with the public," the FOP says.
The full statement from FOP President Gene Ryan says:
"The allegations against the six police officers have been thoroughly litigated time and time again. All of the evidence has been presented to multiple fact finders who have decided that these officers did nothing wrong. The administrative charges are nothing more than that -- they are charges.
"We have no reason to believe that the results of a fair trial board will be any different than the result of all 27 of the criminal counts which uniformly rejected any wrongdoing on the part of the officers.
"The far more troubling truth is that the citizens of Baltimore should be outraged at their leaders. Crime is at an all-time high, while arrests and convictions are at all-time low.
"The administrative prosecution of the officers will do nothing more than perpetuate a police force hesitant to exercise judgment when interacting with the public.
"The only losers in the decision to continue persecuting these five officers are the citizens of Baltimore City.
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