National Police Association announces campaign to encourage cooperation with lawful orders, reduce use-of-force

The PSA campaign, titled "Comply Now, Complain Later," urges the public to comply with police orders in order to assist in the reduction of officer use-of-force incidents.

"The message of this PSA is asking the public to help police by not escalating, not attacking, not fleeing and not trying to disarm an officer. Whether it is getting asked a question, getting a citation or getting arrested, don't confront, don't resist, and don't flee," a news release from the NPA states.

"If someone feels they have been improperly treated by an officer the time to seek a legal resolution is after the encounter has concluded," they add.

"This PSA will inform citizens on how resisting arrest, fleeing, and attempting to disarm a police officer places both the police officer and the member of the public in danger and poses a preventable risk for all concerned," said National Police Association Spokesperson Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith (Ret.)

In a statement from NPA President Ed Hutchinson, he said "The mainstream media has been pushing 'cops are the problem' 24/7 for over a year. The reaction to the PSA so far demonstrates there is a desire for counter programming, such as this PSA, which says the criminals are the problem. If the criminals are reformed, the police and the public will be safer."

Hutchinson wrote that on both Facebook and Twitter, the PSA is being "well-received."

The NPA states that officers are required to use force hundreds of thousands of times per year, resulting in over 50,000 police officers being assaulted on the job leading to injuries and death.

According to the National Fraternal Order of Police, ambush-style assaults on police officers is up 91 percent this year compared to 2020. 51 officers have been shot in 40 ambush-style attacks. In addition, 150 officers have been shot and 28 killed in incidents including non-ambush attacks.