PHILADELPHIA – State Rep. Martina White (R-170) today released a statement on the protest held outside the home of Philadelphia Police Officer Ryan Pownall in reaction to the shooting incident of David Jones that is currently under investigation:
“Yesterday, activists from Black Lives Matter took over a quiet residential Philadelphia neighborhood to aim their vitriol at the home and family of Officer Pownall.
“They called him a murderer in an attempt to influence public opinion in a sensitive matter that is still under investigation by both the police department and the attorney general’s office.
“While I fully support lawful protests as provided by the First Amendment, yesterday’s events were not that. Instead, Black Lives Matter activists invaded a residential neighborhood without a permit, utilized bullhorns to spew profanity and threatened an endless occupation of that neighborhood until their demands are met.
“This same unlawful protest also required a contingent of police officers who would otherwise be working to preserve safety across our city to instead protect the residents of this neighborhood, including the officer and his family.
“It is shocking to me that Police Commissioner Richard Ross and Mayor Jim Kenney allowed this illegal occupation to go on for hours without taking any action to enforce the law, and I question whether the police department has been ordered to stand down when it comes to addressing this Black Lives Matter action.”
White is the sponsor of House Bill 27, which would delay releasing the names of officers involved in shootings until 30 days have passed, or until the investigation is concluded whichever is completed sooner.
This would provide the necessary balance between the need for public transparency and the time to conduct a professional and thorough investigation.
House Bill 27 has passed the state House with bipartisan support and awaits action in the state Senate. More than 2,000 local residents have signed a petition calling on Gov. Tom Wolf to sign this legislation into law when it arrives on his desk.
The same legislation was passed with strong bipartisan support by both the House and Senate in 2016, but vetoed by Wolf.
