For the second day in a row, local law enforcement is lashing out at elected officials who are asking for reviews of policing policies. As seen on Tuesday, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco railed against county supervisors.

“Politics is killing our country, and this is an example,” he said. “This overwhelmingly implies that we are doing something wrong and someone needs to fix it.”

On Wednesday, the Palm Springs Police Officers Association issued a scathing response to suggestions by the city council that a review be conducted in Palm Springs.

Council member Christy Holstege submitted a letter to the county asking for a review of the sheriff’s department practices and policies in communities.

Part of the letter reads: “Riverside County, in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley, we have a long history of racial segregation and exclusion, racial violence, racist city policies and policing and disparities in our community that exist today.”

The POA said in response that Holstege “stood by for the past two years allowing these perceived racist ideologies within our city and department to continue.”

Later, the association said the city council has always been “incredibly supportive in the past.” The POA added that they “stand with the community and support reforms to end injustices throughout the nation.”

In the midst of the back and forth, Indio Police Chief Mike Washburn told the crowd at a vigil to honor George Floyd that his department has rewritten 96 policies this year alone.

The Riverside County Board of Supervisors has declined to vote on a proposal to review policies for the sheriff’s department. Palm Springs city council has a meeting Thursday night. The recent conversation will likely be on the agenda, according to Holstege.

Full letters shown below:

Police Association lashes back at Palm Springs council member