BY THOR JOURGENSEN
LYNN— Lynn’s police chief and local colleagues on Friday said the shooting deaths of five Dallas police officers raises “to a new level” violence against police and fears for public safety.
News that snipers shot five officers to death, wounded seven others and two civilians left Lynn Police Chief Kevin Coppinger and his Marblehead and Nahant counterparts groping for words to adequately convey their feelings.
“This thing is on a new level,” Coppinger said. “It changes again the face of public safety in the United States.”
The attacks occurred Thursday evening during a protest highlighting police-involved shootings in Minnesota and Louisiana.
“This unprovoked, vicious and horrific attack on the police officers who were out there trying to ensure public safety is just despicable,” Coppinger said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with them and the entire Dallas Police organization. Violence such as this does not resolve the issues we all face today.”
Nahant Chief Robert Dwyer said he could “not even come up with the words” to describe his feelings about the Dallas attacks. A police officer for 26 years and small town chief for six, Dwyer said the attacks reinforce his daily message to officers to work safely and be “cognizant of your surroundings.”
Coppinger said the Dallas shootings made him recall the 2009 shooting deaths of four police officers in a Washington state coffee shop by a single shooter. He expressed concerns about “copycat” shootings in the wake of the Dallas murders and planned to reinforce officer safety during roll call remarks Friday morning to Lynn officers.
“This is really an open attack on police officers,” Coppinger said. “It’s a scary situation. Now there is an air of you don’t exactly know what you are getting into.”
Marblehead Chief Robert Picariello noted Dallas police were maintaining public order at a peaceful protest when the shootings occurred.
“I could not be prouder to be part of this profession this morning,” he said. “The hearts and minds of the men and women of the Marblehead Police Department are with the police in Dallas.”
Picariello framed the Dallas killings against the backdrop of mass shootings that have occurred across the country.
“Every time we experience one of these things it changes the complexion somewhat,” he said.
Thor Jourgensen can be reached at [email protected]