City FOP objects
to sketch
on ‘SNL’
Portrayal was ‘grossly inapt,’ head of police union complains in letter
The president of the Baltimore police union called a
“As you are most likely aware, the Baltimore Police department is currently a very beleaguered agency in the throes of massive amounts of criticism and disrespect,” Lt. Gene Ryan, the president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 3, wrote in a letter to “SNL’s” Lorne Michaels on Wednesday. “Many of our members, especially our younger ones, are struggling with their choice of career and we are losing good and credible members daily.
“It is a difficult time in Baltimore and to portray our brave, hard-working members with such an inappropriate manner is very unfortunate.”
Ryan’s letter came in response to a sketch, “Traffic Stop,” that aired last weekend and featured Baltimore native
The officers, who pulled Meyers’ character over during a traffic stop, explain why they’ve asked him out of the car: “You’re fine as hell.”
During the stop, Jones’ character tells Meyers, “You have the right to remain silent. And anything you say or do may be held … against my body.”
Both actresses were wearing Baltimore police badges on their uniforms.
Ryan said he appreciates the “iconic” show that serves as a source of humor “necessary in all our lives.”
But Ryan said the show went too far using the patches that his officers wear every day with pride, officers “who run to the sound of gunfire” to protect the city, and some officers who have lost their lives while wearing them.
The skit, he said, wasn’t humorous, but “a sharp jab at a group of people who have dedicated their lives to serving others.”
The department has suffered
PREVIOUS ARTICLE
