Breonna Taylor and George Floyd’s deaths have sparked righteous outrage across the United States and the world, with millions taking the streets to protest the unjust treatment of Black people at the hands of the police. While the majority of the country, including non-governmental leaders and politicians of all party affiliations, have denounced these killings, there’s one outlier: police unions.

Workers have a fundamental right to organize and use their collective power to ensure fair treatment and compensation. Police unions are different in that they perpetuate harm by protecting violent police officers and creating barriers to officer accountability and policy change.

Elected officials have a responsibility to hold police accountable for the ongoing violence and abuses of power against Black people. In doing so, they must act independently from police unions and others determined to stand in the way of common sense solutions that keep communities safe.

We call on all elected officials to reject political donations from the Fraternal Order of Police.