Latest news with #JoeGamaldi
New York Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Democratic city officers flocking to cop-friendly red states, police leader claims: ‘Why would anyone stay?'
Law enforcement officers in areas primarily run by Democrats continue to flock to red states for job security, better pay and bosses who will back them up, according to one police leader. Joe Gamaldi is the national vice president of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP). He is an active lieutenant with the Houston Police Department, and he said police in blue cities are tired of facing hostility from local leaders. Advertisement 'What we've seen is really a mass exodus of police officers leaving far-left cities for basically greener pastures,' he told Fox News Digital. 'Because, ultimately, people want to feel appreciated for what they do, and when you have a boss — in this case, mayors or city councils, who regularly call you a piece of crap to the public — why would anyone stay?' Florida is one example of a Republican-led state that has benefited from the mass departures. 5 'What we've seen is really a mass exodus of police officers leaving far-left cities for basically greener pastures,' Joe Gamaldi said. AP Advertisement According to a 2024 statement from former Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, the state welcomed 5,000 law enforcement recruits between 2022 and last year, and 1,200 of them came from out of state. 'Florida is the most pro-law enforcement state in the nation because we back our blue,' Moody said at the time. 'We've been spreading the word about all the great incentives to join our ranks, and individuals like the new Sarasota recruits have answered the call, leaving behind places where their service was not as appreciated as it is here.' She said she was 'as inspired as ever to continue doing all we can to show our support to those who bravely protect and serve' after seeing the influx of police officers into the state. 5 Florida welcomed 5,000 law enforcement recruits between 2022 and last year, and 1,200 of them came from out of state. Fox News Digital Advertisement Gamaldi said officers are also moving to cities that may lean blue but are in red states and still have the support of elected leadership and the community, adding officers are 'voting with their feet.' 'We're also seeing it [in] Texas in Houston, which is a city that leans a little blue, but they have been supportive of police officers,' he said. 'The mayor there has given a massive raise to police officers. You're seeing officers go there. You're seeing officers go to Dallas. So, you're seeing all these communities, and there's one common thread. It's 'We support police officers.'' Gamaldi emphasized that the trend began after the 2020 defund the police movement and said, in many cities, law enforcement officers are afraid to do their jobs in 'critical incident' situations, even when they do them by the book. 5 Gamaldi said officers are also moving to cities that may lean blue but are in red states and still have the support of elected leadership and the community. LightRocket via Getty Images Advertisement 'I think you can look no further than Seattle, Portland, Chicago [and] New York,' he said. 'All of these cities have basically told their police officers, 'We don't support you. We're not gonna be there for you when you need us. We're gonna try to defund you when given the opportunity.' 'I mean, my goodness, right now, one of the mayoral candidates for New York has actively said he wants to defund and dismantle the police department,' Gamaldi said, referring to socialist Zohran Mamdani, who has been open with his anti-police rhetoric. 5 'I mean, my goodness, right now, one of the mayoral candidates for New York has actively said he wants to defund and dismantle the police department,' Gamaldi said Zohran Mamdani /X Blue cities, Gamaldi said, are worse off for driving out their police forces. 'Look at the mass exodus of experience in solving cases and experience of just mentoring the next generation of police officers,' he said. 'I mean, the damage that was done in 2020 with the defund the police movement, rhat's going to reverberate for decades. You don't just recover from something like that when you have all of that experience walking out the door.' 5 Gamaldi emphasized that the trend began after the 2020 defund the police movement. Christopher Sadowski He also pointed to better pay and other financial perks, like cities covering moving expenses, as reasons law enforcement officers are moving away from far-left areas. Ultimately, he posed a question to those who patrol the streets where they are unappreciated, saying, 'Why not leave?' Advertisement 'To anyone watching this right now,' Gamaldi said, 'if your boss was constantly telling you [that] you're doing a horrible job, and, in addition, if you were following the exact policies, training and the law of your job, and yet they are still demonizing you, still throwing you under the bus, still trying to indict you, why the hell would you stay?'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Blue city officers flocking to cop-friendly red states, police leader says: ‘Why would anyone stay?'
Law enforcement officers in areas primarily run by Democrats continue to flock to red states for job security, better pay and bosses who will back them up, according to one police leader. Joe Gamaldi is the national vice president of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP). He is an active lieutenant with the Houston Police Department, and he said police in blue cities are tired of facing hostility from local leaders. "What we've seen is really a mass exodus of police officers leaving far-left cities for basically greener pastures," he told Fox News Digital. "Because, ultimately, people want to feel appreciated for what they do, and when you have a boss — in this case, mayors or city councils, who regularly call you a piece of crap to the public — why would anyone stay?" Defund Movement Faces 'Absolute Rejection' As Murders Drop And Police Budgets Climb: Law Enforcement Group Florida is one example of a Republican-led state that has benefited from the mass departures. Read On The Fox News App According to a 2024 statement from former Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, the state welcomed 5,000 law enforcement recruits between 2022 and last year, and 1,200 of them came from out of state. "Florida is the most pro-law enforcement state in the nation because we back our blue," Moody said at the time. "We've been spreading the word about all the great incentives to join our ranks, and individuals like the new Sarasota recruits have answered the call, leaving behind places where their service was not as appreciated as it is here." She said she was "as inspired as ever to continue doing all we can to show our support to those who bravely protect and serve" after seeing the influx of police officers into the state. Gamaldi said officers are also moving to cities that may lean blue but are in red states and still have the support of elected leadership and the community, adding officers are "voting with their feet." "We're also seeing it [in] Texas in Houston, which is a city that leans a little blue, but they have been supportive of police officers," he said. "The mayor there has given a massive raise to police officers. You're seeing officers go there. You're seeing officers go to Dallas. So, you're seeing all these communities, and there's one common thread. It's 'We support police officers.'" Gamaldi emphasized that the trend began after the 2020 defund the police movement and said, in many cities, law enforcement officers are afraid to do their jobs in "critical incident" situations, even when they do them by the book. "I think you can look no further than Seattle, Portland, Chicago [and] New York," he said. "All of these cities have basically told their police officers, 'We don't support you. We're not gonna be there for you when you need us. We're gonna try to defund you when given the opportunity.' Trump Backs Local Police In New Executive Order, Rebukes Democrat Crime Policies That Sowed 'Chaos' Across Us "I mean, my goodness, right now, one of the mayoral candidates for New York has actively said he wants to defund and dismantle the police department," Gamaldi said, referring to socialist Zohran Mamdani, who has been open with his anti-police rhetoric. Blue cities, Gamaldi said, are worse off for driving out their police forces. "Look at the mass exodus of experience in solving cases and experience of just mentoring the next generation of police officers," he said. "I mean, the damage that was done in 2020 with the defund the police movement, rhat's going to reverberate for decades. You don't just recover from something like that when you have all of that experience walking out the door." He also pointed to better pay and other financial perks, like cities covering moving expenses, as reasons law enforcement officers are moving away from far-left areas. Ultimately, he posed a question to those who patrol the streets where they are unappreciated, saying, "Why not leave?" "To anyone watching this right now," Gamaldi said, "if your boss was constantly telling you [that] you're doing a horrible job, and, in addition, if you were following the exact policies, training and the law of your job, and yet they are still demonizing you, still throwing you under the bus, still trying to indict you, why the hell would you stay?"Original article source: Blue city officers flocking to cop-friendly red states, police leader says: 'Why would anyone stay?'
Fox News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Blue city officers flocking to cop-friendly red states, police leader says: ‘Why would anyone stay?'
Law enforcement officers in areas primarily run by Democrats continue to flock to red states for job security, better pay and bosses who will back them up, according to one police leader. Joe Gamaldi is the national vice president of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP). He is an active lieutenant with the Houston Police Department, and he said police in blue cities are tired of facing hostility from local leaders. "What we've seen is really a mass exodus of police officers leaving far-left cities for basically greener pastures," he told Fox News Digital. "Because, ultimately, people want to feel appreciated for what they do. And when you have a boss — in this case, mayors or city councils, who regularly call you a piece of crap to the public — why would anyone stay? Florida is one example of a Republican-led state that has benefited from the mass departures. According to a 2024 statement from former Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, the state welcomed 5,000 law enforcement recruits between 2022 and last year, and 1,200 of them came from out of state. "Florida is the most pro-law enforcement state in the nation because we back our blue," Moody said at the time. "We've been spreading the word about all the great incentives to join our ranks, and individuals like the new Sarasota recruits have answered the call, leaving behind places where their service was not as appreciated as it is here." She said she was "as inspired as ever to continue doing all we can to show our support to those who bravely protect and serve" after seeing the influx of police officers into the state. Gamaldi said officers are also moving to cities that may lean blue but are in red states and still have the support of elected leadership and the community, adding officers are "voting with their feet." "We're also seeing it [in] Texas in Houston, which is a city that leans a little blue, but they have been supportive of police officers," he said. "The mayor there has given a massive raise to police officers. You're seeing officers go there. You're seeing officers go to Dallas. So, you're seeing all these communities, and there's one common thread. It's 'We support police officers.'" Gamaldi emphasized that the trend began after the 2020 defund the police movement and said, in many cities, law enforcement officers are afraid to do their jobs in "critical incident" situations, even when they do them by the book. "I think you can look no further than Seattle, Portland, Chicago [and] New York," he said. "All of these cities have basically told their police officers, 'We don't support you. We're not gonna be there for you when you need us. We're gonna try to defund you when given the opportunity.' "I mean, my goodness, right now, one of the mayoral candidates for New York has actively said he wants to defund and dismantle the police department," Gamaldi said, referring to socialist Zohran Mamdani, who has been open with his anti-police rhetoric. Blue cities, Gamaldi said, are worse off for driving out their police forces. "Look at the mass exodus of experience in solving cases and experience of just mentoring the next generation of police officers," he said. "I mean, the damage that was done in 2020 with the defund the police movement, rhat's going to reverberate for decades. You don't just recover from something like that when you have all of that experience walking out the door." He also pointed to better pay and other financial perks, like cities covering moving expenses, as reasons law enforcement officers are moving away from far-left areas. Ultimately, he posed a question to those who patrol the streets where they are unappreciated, saying, "Why not leave?" "To anyone watching this right now," Gamaldi said, "if your boss was constantly telling you [that] you're doing a horrible job, and, in addition, if you were following the exact policies, training and the law of your job, and yet they are still demonizing you, still throwing you under the bus, still trying to indict you, why the hell would you stay?"
Fox News
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
AOC-backed socialist mayoral candidate backtracks after calling to 'dismantle' police in 2020
Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani propelled himself to a stunning upset victory in New York City's Democratic primary, as his record on policing has become a focal point of scrutiny. Fraternal Order of Police National Vice President Joe Gamaldi told Fox News Digital that Mamdani's past rhetoric is emblematic of a dangerously radical ideology. "Anyone who still supports defunding the police is completely insane," Gamaldi said. "Especially after seeing the horrific consequences on our urban communities. It brought on rampant crime and disorder, historic murder rates in over a dozen cities and destroyed the quality of life for millions." Criticism of Mamdani's past statements on the Defund the Police movement has come from both Republicans and Democrats after his earlier comments resurfaced. In 2020, amid nationwide Black Lives Matter protests following the death of George Floyd, Mamdani publicly referred to the New York Police Department as "wicked and corrupt," calling for its defunding and dismantlement. In one Dec. 2020 viral tweet, he declared, "There is no negotiating with an institution this wicked & corrupt. Defund it. Dismantle it. End the cycle of violence." He also linked LGBTQ+ liberation to police abolition, asserting in a Nov. 2020 tweet, that "queer liberation means defund the police." Now, as Mamdani eyes the mayoralty, his public safety message appears to be shifting. He has backed away from some of his earlier rhetoric, acknowledging the importance of police in addressing violent crime. "I will not defund the police. I will work with the police because I believe the police have a critical role to play in creating public safety," he said in the second New York City Democratic mayoral debate on June 13. "Sixty-five percent of crimes from the first quarter of this year are still not solved. We need to ensure that police can focus on those crimes, and [that] we have mental health professionals and social workers to address and tackle and resolve the mental health crisis and homelessness." His current platform includes the creation of a Department of Community Safety to handle non-violent incidents that he believes would get to the root cause of crime. Mamdani's public safety plan includes reallocating $600 million from existing programs and raising taxes on wealthy New Yorkers to fund the new department. He has also spoken about reducing police overtime and cutting the NYPD's $80 million communications budget. Gamaldi said that Mamdani's comment on policing is little more than political posturing, saying that he embraces "this failed social experiment." "I find it funny, because the very people Mamdani purports to care about — lower income, disenfranchised — are the very people who were impacted the most by defunding police departments," he said. "Truth is, he is a radical ideologue more concerned with pushing his far-left agenda than the safety of New Yorkers or the brave men and women of the NYPD." With a cost-of-living-focused platform, a volunteer-powered campaign, and a savvy social media presence, Mamdani has rapidly vaulted into the frontrunner position in New York City's mayoral race. Endorsed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and buoyed by grassroots enthusiasm, the 33-year-old assemblymember has captured the imagination of a younger, more progressive electorate. If elected, Mamdani would become the city's youngest mayor in over a century, surpassing even John Purroy Mitchel, who briefly held the office in 1917 at the age of 37.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Law enforcement reps 'disgusted' after illegal alien allegedly kills Air Force recruit: 'There will be others'
Advocates for police and border patrol lambasted what they said were open border policies that allowed an illegal alien suspected of killing an Air Force recruit into the country in the first place. Joe Gamaldi, national vice president of the Fraternal Order of Police, said he was disgusted to learn 18-year-old Ava Moore, a Texas native who was about to begin cadet training at the United States Air Force Academy, was allegedly killed by someone who shouldn't have been in the United States in the first place. "How many cases do we have to see where people who should not have been in this country in the first place end up causing the death or murdering someone else, someone who is here legally in this country?" he asked. "How many families have to be ripped apart? How? How much trauma do we have to take from people who should not be here in the first place?" Moore was a star basketball player at the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School in Colorado whose goal was to become a four-star general. Illegal Aliens Arrested In Death Of Air Force Cadet Candidate Had Suitcases Packed: Report Gamaldi was incredulous at open border advocates watching Americans die at the hands of noncitizens who continue to fight President Donald Trump's closed border policies and deportation efforts. Read On The Fox News App He also warned that, given the number of illegal aliens who entered the country during the Biden administration, he expects more American deaths at the hands of unknown foreigners. "I think they completely ignore the crime and chaos that a number of illegal immigrants bring to our communities," Gamaldi said. "And the most frustrating part, from law enforcement's perspective, and from the victim's perspective and their families', is that the crimes that are committed are avoidable. How many people have to die before the other side says enough?" He also slammed "radical ideologue" judges he said are blocking Trump from carrying out the will of his voters. "They're a disgrace to this country, a disgrace to the robes they wear, and they should resign in shame for what they are doing, politicizing this issue," he said. "They have no business sitting on the bench, and I'm certainly hoping that there will be every action taken to remove them from their positions because all they are at this point are radical ideologues. They're not judges, they're a joke." Ice Identifies Jet Ski Suspects In Air Force Cadet Candidate's Death As Illegal Aliens Art Del Cueto is the vice president of the National Border Patrol Council, a union that represents 18,000 U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents. Like Gamaldi, he believes the damage from the previous administration's open border policies isn't over. "Another senseless death," he said. "I think that, unfortunately, though, there will be others. We don't know how many people are in the country illegally. And, yes, it could've been someone that's legally in the U.S., but in this case it wasn't. It was somebody that should not have been in the country to begin with. Unfortunately, there's too many politicians that continue to put obstacles from allowing law enforcement to do their job." Daikerlyn Alejandraa Gonzalez-Gonzalez, 22, was charged with second-degree manslaughter, a felony, for allegedly striking and killing Moore while riding a jet ski on Lake Grapevine in Texas last weekend. Maikel Coello Perozo, 21, is accused of picking Gonzalez-Gonzalez up and fleeing. Authorities allege Perozo hit another vehicle while speeding off. He has been charged with a collision involving damage to a vehicle and hindering apprehension, both misdemeanors. Police reportedly found packed suitcases in the home where Gonzalez-Gonzalez and Perozo were arrested. They were identified as illegal aliens from Venezuela by U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement Wednesday. Trump's Department of Homeland Security also slammed Biden's border policies in a post on X. "Ava Moore was a patriot serving her country when she was killed by an illegal alien in a hit-and-run over Memorial Day weekend. This senseless tragedy was 100 percent preventable," the post said. "Daikerlyn Gonzalez and Maikel Perozo entered the U.S. illegally in 2023 and were released into our interior," the post added. "The previous administration's open border policies have cost too many Americans their lives. President Trump and Secretary Noem will continue to stand with victims of illegal alien crime and their families." Moore's becomes yet another high-profile death allegedly at the hands of an illegal alien. Jose Ibarra, also from Venezuela, was convicted last year of murdering Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student, while she was jogging on the University of Georgia campus. Jocelyn Nungaray, 12, who lived in the Houston area, was sexually assaulted and strangled to death last year, allegedly by two Venezuelan illegal aliens accused of being members of the Tren de Aragua gang. The suspects in that case are Franklin Jose Pena Ramos and Johan Jose Rangel Martinez. Rachel Morin, a 37-year-old New Jersey mother of five, was killed by Salvadoran illegal alien Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez in 2023. A jury found Martinez-Hernandez guilty of Morin's murder in article source: Law enforcement reps 'disgusted' after illegal alien allegedly kills Air Force recruit: 'There will be others'
