Police union’s regional branch rebukes District Attorney over claims of having support of law enforcement

The International Brotherhood of Police Officers has issued a strong rebuke of Hamilton County District Attorney General Neal Pinkston as he enters the closing weeks of his primary election campaign against challenger Coty Wamp.

“Very rarely, on a national and local level, does the IBPO see such a drastic lack of faith in an individual’s ability to hold an office,” said a statement signed by Vince Champion, the IBPO’s regional director.

The organization accused Pinkston of misleading voters with statements that he had received support from the law enforcement community despite not earning the union’s endorsement, while calling him to task for what it said was a “significant increase” in crime under his watch and also accusing him of nepotism and harassment.

“It is the opinion of the regional office that this statement is necessary to preserve the integrity of the IBPO Local #673 membership,” Champion said in the statement.

Voters are set to choose between Pinkston and Wamp in the May 3rd Primary Election. Pinkston’s campaign said Friday afternoon the brotherhood’s statement was not representative of his daily interactions with law enforcement officers.

“General Pinkston’s position has never been that he had the support of the union,” Pinkston’s campaign spokesperson Amanda Morrison said Friday in a telephone interview.

“What Neal Pinkston has said throughout his campaign upon finding out that he did not receive the endorsement from the union, was that if anyone talked with the officers or detectives that we worked with, that they know they have the support of the district attorney’s office.” She said those relationships were developed on a basis of mutual respect and support.

In its statement, the police union cited a Jan. 24th Times Free Press story about remarks Pinkston made at a Hamilton County Pachyderm Club meeting and comments made during a Republican Women’s forum.

“From what we’ve gathered from questions received from community members and from our personnel, these statements have been made approximately five times at different campaign meetings,” brotherhood member Mike Korter said Friday in an email.

In the statement, Champion said the organization polled its 400 members before making an endorsement in the race.

“When the question of endorsing a candidate for district attorney came out, a poll was sent to the entire membership group. Out of that poll, Neal Pinkston received six votes for endorsement. There were eight votes to not endorse any person. The remainder of the votes went to Coty Wamp,” Champion said in the statement.

Wamp received 104 votes, he confirmed later in a phone call.