Keeping cops safe

Jersey City Director of Public Safety Shea described the murder of two New York City cops as a cowardly act. He said the killings, which strongly resembled a similar incident in Jersey City last summer, would not deter the police from doing their duty.
Police Officer Melvin Santiago (posthumously promoted to detective) was ambushed in Jersey City in July, in an eerie foreshadowing of the murder to two cops in Brooklyn last weekend.
“Police officers are vulnerable to situations like this,” Shea said. “There is no way to completely protect our officers. When someone calls for help, we will respond.”
The best defense is to train and properly equip officers for situations, which Jersey City has done.
“At the end of the day, it is a dangerous job,” Shea said.
In wake of the shooting in Brooklyn, Shea said top police brass have given field supervisors to use their discretion when it comes to patrols, expanding one officer patrols to two if they feel it is warranted.
Shea said such decisions can’t be dictated from the top and must be left to those closest to the actual patrols, which are the field supervisors.
“They know their officers and know the field moment to moment,” Shea said.
As after the tragic murder of Santiago, top police officials have talked to all officers and union members to put them on alert to possible danger.
Shea said the officers who respond to situations are fully trained to deal with various situations.
“This is an excellent department and the officers do to great job,” Shea said.
The killer of the cops in New York claimed to be responding to some of the racial conflicts over the deaths of men as a result of police action in both Staten Island and Ferguson, Mo.
Although protests occurred in Jersey City, none turned violent as in other places, and Shea credited the professionalism of the police as well as the administration.
“The mayor set the tone,” Shea said.
While Mayor Steve Fulop expected professionalism from the department, he also offered unswerving support for law enforcement officials tasked with keeping the peace.
Shea said protestors and police had a positive relationship and met before the protests to talk about what would transpire, working out locations and other issues ahead of time.
“This not an `us and them’ situation,” Shea said. “Everybody, protestors and police understand that we are all Jersey City, and we recognized each other’s humanity. This helped keep everything civil.”