FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas – Fort Bend County Precinct 1 Constable AJ Dorr has enacted a new policy regarding officer safety following the murders of two officers in New York and a burgeoning number of threats spreading across social media.
The ambush and murder of two New York police officers put every department in the country on high alert. Police said the murders were retaliation for the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner in New York.
Los Angeles police were investigating Sunday whether two of their officers were ambushed. Both survived.
"You have to start wondering about the safety of your deputies. So last week Wednesday I started a policy that all my deputies will ride two man units," said Dorr.
Dorr has 32 deputies under his command and he said there will be 10 two-man units. Dorr said he has not received any specific threats against his deputies; his concern is the anti-police sentiment and protests seen in cities across the country.
Dorr said the two-man units are temporary. He said he will continue to evaluate how long the program will last.
Dorr said deputies who normally work in the office are being put on patrol so there is no reduction in the number of deputies patrolling a specific area.
The incidents in LA and New York are accompanied by a wave of threats against police officers on social media. Dorr thanks those who defend officers on-line, but warns responding to these posted threats only fans the flames of discontent.
"The more you keep it alive by answering back-and-forth and going back-and-forth on it the longer it will stay there and the longer it will stay in some of these people's minds," said Dorr.
Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls told Local 2 he has no plans to go to two-man units. Nehls said procedures are already in place for deputies to back each other up and adds law enforcement officers' lives are threatened every day. Nehls also he doesn't have the manpower to go to two-man units.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office is also asking for the public's help when it comes to officer safety. The Sheriff's Office is urging anyone to report threats against law enforcement officers.
