FOP Leader Says Officer Privacy is About Safety
The president of the Pittsburgh FOP said he backs the concept of controversial legislation that would bar disclosure of the names of police officers under investigation in shooting or other use-of-force incidents.
“We’re absolutely supportive of it,” said Howard McQuillan, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 1 according to a story by Jonathan D. Silver in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
McQuillan said he had not seen the actual bill. He deferred comment on the specifics because he noted that it would likely undergo considerable changes before making its way out of committee. But he said his union endorses the bill’s premise: to keep the names of police officers a secret during a pending investigation and even afterwards, depending on the circumstances.
“In general, it’s not just the safety of the officer, but the officer’s family,” Officer McQuillan said. “We’ve seen when the media goes to the policeman’s house and everybody’s taping and showing the house and cars. That becomes not just an issue for the officer and his family, but the department as well. They’re going to have to allocate resources to protect the officer and his family during the investigation.”
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