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The motto of the Minneapolis police is displayed on the doors of our squad cars: to protect with courage and serve with compassion. Every day, men and women in uniform across the country personify that motto to protect public safety, often at great personal risk, and often while making great personal sacrifices.
The violence carried out against police officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot on the U.S. Capitol — an attack fueled by anger, hatred and conspiracy theories — has left scars not only on those who were present, but on the entire law enforcement community.
Last week, President Donald Trump pardoned several people who assaulted, disarmed, beat, tased and tormented police officers for hours — cops who simply showed up that day to do their job. These pardons not only undermine justice, but they devalue the service and sacrifices made by these officers. They also send a chilling message to all those who wear the badge — essentially saying their lives and safety are expendable if it serves a political purpose.
The violence on Jan. 6 was not just an attack on a building; it was an attack on the rule of law. Officers were choked, sprayed with bear spray and pepper spray, and beaten with metal poles, batons and police shields. They were crushed and pinned in doorways and tased repeatedly. Many suffered lifelong injuries, physical and psychological. Officer Brian Sicknick, a fellow New Jersey native, lost his life as a direct result of the violence experienced. Sicknick’s mom said that “lawlessness, misplaced loyalty to a deranged autocratic ideal, and hate killed my son.” Yet the person convicted of assaulting Sicknick received a “full, complete, and unconditional pardon.” Four other cops committed suicide. Another 174 cops were injured in the melee.
Among the pardoned are criminals like Patrick Edward McCaughey III, who used a riot shield to crush and pin an officer in a door frame. Or Daniel Rodriguez, who repeatedly jabbed a stun gun into an officer’s neck. These are not “peaceful protesters” or “patriots.” These are individuals who participated in a mob who violently assaulted police.
By granting clemency, President Trump has erased years of investigation that has sought to bring some sense of justice. He has rendered meaningless the hard work of officers who bore the weight of those attacks, and the investigators and prosecutors who sought accountability. More important, he has signaled to the families of police that their loved ones are expendable.
