This evening KATV received a letter from Kevin Simpson, President of the Little Rock Fraternal Order of Police concerning the recent case investigating Lt. David Hudson and an alleged instance of police brutality. The following is the letter we received. To read the original article about the incident, click on the link underneath the picture:
Good Afternoon,
As the Little Rock Fraternal Order of Police we would like
to address the media attention and exposure that Lt. David Hudson is receiving
over the resisting and subsequent arrest of Chris Erwin at Ferneau Restaurant
on October 29th, 2011.
It seems that it has become a common practice by some of the
mainstream media to portray Police Officers as unprofessional, violent,
unethical and power crazed individuals. On the contrary, our job is extremely
difficult under the best circumstances and even more so when the entire events
are not told.
The video that was released and shown of the arrest that
night is only a brief fraction of the entire even that happened. Rather that
jump to conclusion and assumption of what is right and wrong, we should all
allow the investigation into the entire incident to take place.
Lt. Hudson immediately reported and documented the arrest
and subsequent use of force and now an internal investigation is in progress.
When the investigation is concluded and all facts are known, then and only then
should anyone form an opinion.
Being as this IS an investigation we, as an organization,
will not get into or discuss specifics of the arrest. In conclusion, we live in
very difficult times and we have to make decisions to keep the peace and
sometimes they are difficult to watch. Again we ask that the investigation be
able to be conducted and all the facts to be known before deciding what is
right and wrong.
Respectfully,
Kevin "Bart" Simpson
President – Little Rock F.O.P
