TACOMA — The Washington Fraternal Order of Police (WAFOP) released the following statement regarding destructive protests over a Jan. 23 incident in which a Tacoma police officer drove through a crowd gathered for illegal street racing:

“It is important that we allow the Pierce County Force Investigation Team to conduct a thorough review of this incident. As officers dedicated to rebuilding the trust and bonds between law enforcement and the communities we serve, members of the Washington Fraternal Order of Police recognize that the public is going to be concerned when they see incidents like those that occurred this weekend in Tacoma,” said WAFOP President Marco Monteblanco.

“We are committed to protecting the safety and rights of our citizens, including the right to peacefully assemble and protest such incidents. However, violent and destructive actions like those taken last night are not appropriate ways for members of the public to express their frustrations, and we do not support protests that include such actions,” he said.

“This is the time for investigators to do their job. We would ask the entire Tacoma community to allow a thorough and impartial review of the facts and circumstances regarding the incident, as well as the decisions made and the actions taken by the officer while responding to the illegal street racing activity.”

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