Tucson police officers expressed safety concerns prior to a vigil Saturday evening by the group Black Lives Matter Tucson, asking for support from SWAT personnel and armored vehicles.
“Members have expressed their unwillingness to participate in any event where they are inadequately protected,” Roland Gutierrez, president of the Tucson Police Officers Association, wrote to Police Chief Chris Magnus on Friday.
Magnus was out of town on a family medical emergency and could not be reached for comment. Also unavailable was Ramon Batista, who is serving as acting chief while Magnus is away.
Gutierrez’s letter referred to the vigil and “healing circle to end police violence” that, in the end, played out peacefully in downtown Saturday night in memory of people who have died in police shootings.
Gutierrez’s letter had cited motorcycle and bike officers as an example of potential targets, saying their jobs put them at great risk if they perform an “escort detail.” “Members have asked that if requested to perform such a detail, they would ask that SWAT or tactical personnel, and specifically armored vehicles and sniper cover, be deployed and ready to assist with any situation,” he wrote, adding, “While the TPOA strongly believes that the majority of the Tucson community supports the police department, we feel that it is always better to err on the side of caution.”
At a related protest in Phoenix Friday, police arrested three people for allegedly throwing rocks at police and striking their helmets and protective gear. No officers were injured. Officers in Phoenix used pepper spray and formed a riot line.
