Boston Activists Condemn Pleasantville Police Benevolent Association “Officer of the Year” award

CONTACT:
Jamarhl Crawford
Blackstonian.com
617-297-7721

APRIL 15, 2011

FOR IMEMDIATE RELEASE

Boston, MA – Local activists are seething with rage following the reported decision to “honor” Officer Aaron Hess with the “Officer of the Year” award by the Pleasantville Police Benevolent Association.  The timing of this award is insensitive and offensive, particularly in light of the questionable circumstances in the Danroy “DJ” Henry, jr. case and the fact that the case has been turned over to the Department of Justice and is currently under investigation.  This move by the Pleasantville Police Union is indicative of the contempt that many Police Unions across the country display in regards to the African-American and Latino community.  In order to witness the vile and venomous sentiments espoused by Police Unions across the country, one only need look at the various law enforcement chatrooms across the country to hear the echoes of tea party patriot militias and neo-nazis. 

Here in Boston, the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association in their Union newspaper called a 16 yr old boy a “scumbag” after the infamous youtube video of him being beaten while arrested at Roxbury Community College.  In Cambridge, after the “Skip Gates” incident, Officer James Crowley was awarded by the Cambridge Police Department. While these cases did not share the same tragic results, the message is the same. It is a message of self-righteousness and entitlement. It shows a total lack of respect for the loss of life of people of color and exemplifies an “Above the Law” attitude.  What we find most offensive, it is taunting and cruel to the family.  We should all be concerned when public servants show this type of disdain for a significant portion of the public they are dutifully sworn to serve. 

We join to publically condemn the decision of the Pleasantville Police Benevolent Association and  President Matthew Listwan to bestow Officer Aaron Hess with the “Officer of the Year” award. 

We further condemn the bad judgment displayed by Officer Aaron Hess in accepting the award after this controversial case and during an ongoing US Justice Department investigation. 

We also condemn the actions of Officer Hess on Oct. 17 which resulted in the tragic death of Danroy “DJ” Henry, jr.  It is our belief after reviewing all available facts that the statements of the witnesses are closer to the true sequence of events and we do not agree with the grand jury’s decision to dismiss Hess’ indictment on criminal charges in the case. 

Police Unions are fierce defenders of the fallen in their ranks. They rally around deceased officers families and fundraise and brow beat anyone who doesn’t share their sense of loss and respect. If there were a case in which an officer was killed by a young black man, even if the officer had been shown to be a “dirty cop” and trying to unlawfully kill the young man, and subsequently the Black community held a celebration and awarded this young man, we could expect protest from every officer in the country. Police would view such a display as a public slap in the face and the ultimate gesture of disrespect.

“The type of rhetoric spewed by many Police Unions, is indicative of a mentality that is then displayed on the job in many cases. This type of event and the attitudes, actions and comments of some officers is simply another means to administer Police Brutality… psychologically.”
– Jamarhl Crawford, Blackstonian.com

Regardless of the PPBA’s stated intentions to “not offend” and “not garner media attention” they knew exactly what they were doing. They knew the implications of such an award and they knew the potential to inflame and infuriate the public. They knew that the timing of this award was completely inappropriate and with all that knowledge they did it anyway with forethought and wickedly malicious intent. 

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