Port of Seattle Police Officer and Special Forces Veteran Greg Anderson has been placed on administrative leave pending the termination of his job, for making a video that asked other officers to stop trampling people’s constitutional rights.
The video posted by Anderson went viral, “I have seen officers around the country enforcing tyrannical orders against the people; I was hoping it was a minority of officers, but, I am not sure anymore …” began Anderson’s video. “We do not get to violate someone’s Constitutional Rights.”
He was hailed a hero after the video he posted pointed out that people shouldn’t be arrested for going to the park, wanted to get their nails done, or going to church.
“That is not how our job works okay, what really has been pissing me off lately is the fact that these officers that are going out here and enforcing these tyrannical orders… what they’re doing is they’re putting my job and my safety at risk because what you’re doing is your widening the gap between public trust and law enforcement officers,” said Anderson.
Anderson continued on to say, “I want to remind you that regardless of where you stand on the coronavirus we don’t have the authority to do those things to people just because a mayor or a governor tells you otherwise I don’t care if it’s your sergeant or your Chief of Police we don’t get to violate people’s constitutional rights because somebody in our chain of command tells us otherwise it’s not how this country works those are de facto arrests you know we’re violating people’s rights.”
Anderson posted a second video on Monday saying that he was contacted by the Chief of Police who demanded he take the video done because he claimed it openly defied the governor. Anderson refused!
“My whole thought process while making that video was trying to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the public,” Officer Anderson said.
When contacted by the press the Port of Seattle Police Department released a statement informing the public that, “The officer is currently on paid administrative leave pending an investigation. The Port does not comment on pending personnel matters.”
Chief Covey did address Anderson on the Port of Seattle Police Department Facebook page.
“I hired Greg, and he and I have always had a mutually respectful relationship. That respect continues to this day. He is clearly a good police officer and an exceptional American. That said, as a police officer wearing one of our uniforms, his right to speech has limitations on which he has been well-trained and that he has understood since joining the policing profession. Greg has always had the ability to express his opinions on what is going on in the country like all other Americans,” the post read. “However, he is not allowed to do so while on duty, wearing our uniform, wearing our badge and while driving our patrol car.”
