'Help Wanted': Philadelphia Police Union Calling For New District Attorney In I-95 Billboards
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police wants to see District Attorney Larry Krasner out of office, and they're making their message very clear with two new billboards along I-95. One of the billboards on I-95 reads, "Help Wanted: New Philadelphia District Attorney. Please contact FOP Lodge #5."
The other billboard says, "Support the Philadelphia Police Department and victims of violence. Enough is Enough."
"These billboards say it all," union president John McNesby said. "Too much violence and no respect for crime victims."
The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office took a swipe at McNesby, saying he should deal with the Philadelphia police officers accused of racist social media posts.
"Unfortunately for John McNesby, Philadelphia voters elect the District Attorney, and in 2017 they overwhelmingly chose Larry Krasner, who did not seek the FOP's support. Guys like John McNesby have been on a losing streak since DA Krasner was elected, as voters across the country have since elected even more fearless criminal justice reformers into office. Instead of wasting his members' hard-earned dollars on billboards, John McNesby should figure out a way to deal with the 70-plus officers who've been benched for sharing hateful, bigoted beliefs on Facebook -- and help the majority of our hard-working, dedicated police rebuild trust in the communities they serve," the DA's office said.
In the past, McNesby has expressed his dislike of Krasner, calling him "anti-police." The FOP has also called for Krasner's resignation after he dropped his opposition to an appeal hearing for Mumia Abu-Jamal. Abu-Jamal, a former Black Panther and death row activist, was convicted of killing a Philadelphia police officer in 1981.
This isn't the first time the FOP has taken a shot at a Philadelphia district attorney. In January 2017, the union took a jab at former District Attorney Seth Williams, placing a similar billboard along I-95. Williams' tenure as Philadelphia's first black DA was mired in scandal. He eventually resigned after pleading guilty in a corruption trial in June 2017 and is now serving a five-year prison sentence.
Krasner took office in January 2018.
