Police organization calls for dialogue with NFL after protests

<p>The Affiliated Police Associations of Westchester sent an open letter to the NFL Sunday calling for a dialogue on the ongoing player protests at games.&nbsp;</p>

News 12 Staff

Oct 2, 2017, 1:07 AM

Updated 2,407 days ago

Share:

Police organization calls for dialogue with NFL after protests
The Affiliated Police Associations of Westchester sent an open letter to the NFL Sunday calling for a dialogue on the ongoing player protests at games.
Detective Keith Olson says that after witnessing the record number of protests by NFL players last week, he felt he had to do something about dispelling perceived police brutality.
Olson drafted a letter to the NFL, calling on its leaders and players to begin an open dialogue with members of the police force.
The NFL protests, often in the form of players taking a knee during the anthem, have sparked a national debate.

Olson says Yonkers is a good example of how an open dialogue makes cities safer. He says complaints against police there have dropped, and that the city is one of the safest in the country for its size.
He says he fears the protests could send the wrong message to the public, and put officers’ lives at risk.
In the letter, he asks NFL leaders to take a seat at a table, rather than a knee.
"The wrong message can be sent by people who have a platform," he says.
News 12 reached out to the NFL commissioner for comment, but did not hear back.


More from News 12