Police Union: Officers can't do their jobs

Police Union: Officers can't do their jobs. Hannah Buehler reports.

GOOD EVENING ONCEAGAIN -- THE HEAD OFTHE BUFFALO POLICEUNION SAYS IT'SBECOMING DIFFICULTFOR OFFICERS TO DOTHEIR JOBS... ANDSOME ARE EVENCONSIDERINGRETIRING... BECAUSETHEY FEEL THEY ARELOSING SUPPORT.THESE COMMENTSCOME AFTER THISINCIDENT -- CAUGHTON CAMERA LASTWEEK IN NIAGARASQUARE.THE TWO OFFICERSINVOLVED IN SHOVINGA PROTESTER NOWFACE CRIMINALCHARGES... BUT THEUNION PRESIDENTTELLS 7 EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTERHANNAH BUEHLER --THEY WERE JUSTFOLLOWING ORDERS.:002:44SOT: WE HABE A JOBTO DOYOU ORDER US TO DOTHIS JOBWE DO ITNOWWHERE'S THEBACKINGSUPPORTTHE WORK OF POLICEDEPARTMENTSACROSS THECOUNTRY HAS COMEUNDER FIRE INRECENT WEEKS..NOWHERE INBUFFALO..TWO OFFICERS AREFACING FELONYASSAULT CHARGESAFTER THIS CAUGHTON CAMERA INCIDENTWITH A PROTESTER..SOT:THE DA IS PRESSINGASSAULT 2NDCHARGES ON THATINCIDENTTHAT'S INSANEBUFFALO POLICEUNION PRESIDENTJOHN EVANS SAYSOFFICERS WITH THEEMERGENCYRESPONSE TEAMWERE EXECUTING ANORDER TO CLEAR THEAREAWHEN CURFEWSTARTED THURSDAYNIGHTAND DOING WHATTHEY ARE TRAINEDTO DO...WHICH HESAYS.

IN A CASE OFRIOTS AND MASSGATHERINGS.INCLUDES USINGFORCE TO EXECUTEAN ORDERWITH OFFICERSAARON TORGALSKIAND ROBERT MCCABENOW FACING FELONYASSAULT CHARGES,EVANS SAYS OFFICERSIN BUFFALO NOW FEELON EDGE.SOT: DO OFFICERSFEEL THAT THEY CANDO THEIR JOBACCURATELY IN THEBUFFALO POLICEDEPARTMENTNO NOT UNDER THISCURRENT STRUCTURENO.WITH THESEARRESTS THEATMOSPHERECHANGEDMEASURABLYYOU CAN'T DO YHOURJOB WHEN YOU HAVESO MUCH TO LOSESOT: IT'SUNFORTUNATE THATHE DID GET INJUREDBUT IT'S THE JOBSOT: HANNAH: ANDTHEIR JOB IS TOSHOVE SOMEONEDURING THATINCIDENT?EVANS: HOW ELSE AREYOU GOING TO CLEARAN AREA?

THEY GAVEHIM VERBAL ORDERSGET BACK GET BACKON FRIDAY ALL 57MEMBERS OF THEEMERGENCYRESPONSE TEAMRESIGNED.

EVANSSAYS TO SHOWSUPPORT FOR THESUSPENDEDOFFICERS.BUT SOME MEMBERSOF THE EMERGENCYRESPONSE TEAM TOLD7 EYEWTINESS NEWSTHEY RESIGNEDBECAUSE THE UNIONIS NO LONGERBACKING ITSMEMBERS BY PAYINGLEGAL FEES IF THEYGET IN TROUBLE..EVANS RESPONSE?SOT: IF HE WERE TOCHARGE EACHOFFICER THATSHOVED SOMEONEWE'RE BROKERIGHTTHERE WAS 57OFFICERS THEYCOULD EASILYSHOVED SOMEONEWITH THEIR BATON INTHEIR HAND.

ANDTHEREFORECONSTITUTE THAT!THAT'S INSANE THATWOULD BREAK THEUNIONAS FOR OFFICERSTORGALSKI ANDMCCABEEVANS SAYS THOSETWO OFFICERS ARESTANDUP GUYS BOTHON AND OFF THEFORCESOT: THEIR INTENTIONWAS NEVER TO HURTTHIS GUYHANNAH: DID THEYSAY THAT TO YOUEVANS: ABSOLUTELYSTANDUP CLOSE: THISWEEK EVANS SAYSHE'S EVEN HAD CALLSFROM OFFICERSLOOKING TORETIRE...HE SAYS THERE'S ADISCONNECTBETWEEN THEADMINISTRATION WITHBPD AND OFFICERS ONTHE GROUND..I'M WAITING FROM ASTATEMENT FROM BPD