Philly stands with Dallas, and so does its police department.
Earlier this week, six active-duty Philadelphia police officers traveled to Dallas as members of the department’s Honor Guard to stand with Dallas officers after five of its members were killed and nine were injuredin an ambush on July 7. “We always do our best to send our Honor Guard or members of our Honor Guard whenever its feasible to do so,” Sgt. Eric Grippof the Philadelphia Police Department said. “There’s been a loss of life…and we try to send representatives to represent Philadelphia to stand with them in their time of grief.” The officers, who vary in rank, will be attending funerals for the five slain officers over the next several days.
Sgt. Gripp said when the PPD has lost officers in the line of duty, officers from “all over the world stand shoulder to shoulder with us.
“We want to do the same in the case of Dallas,” Gripp said. “Any loss of life is tragic, and oneas large and unprecedented as this, it’s important that we show our support.” The PPD posted photos to its Facebook page Wednesday morning, showing its officers at the viewing for Dallas Police Department’s Senior Corporal Lorne Ahrens, who was a 14-year veteran of the force.
Gripp said in light of the Dallas shooting, which was carried out by a gunmanwho was specifically targeting white officers,the PPD is reminding its officers to “stay vigilant.”
He added that the only internal changes in the wake of Dallas are that all patrol cars are running two-person, and the department has suspended ride-alongs for civilians.
