Donald Trump

Boston Police Respond to President Trump's Comments at Gang Violence Speech

Two days after President Donald Trump advised police to not "be too nice" while delivering a speech on Long Island, the Boston Police Department is responding.

"The Boston Police Department's priority has been and continues to be building relationships and trust with the community we serve," the department said Saturday in a statement to the Boston Globe. "As a police department, we are committed to helping people, not harming them."

On Friday, while visiting Suffolk County, New York, to discuss efforts to crack down on illegal immigration and violent crime like the MS-13 street gang, the president came under fire for his remarks about how he thinks authorities should place potential criminals in police cruisers.

"... we'd like to get them out a lot faster and when you see ... these thugs being thrown into the back of the paddy wagon, you just see them thrown in, rough, I said, 'Please don't be too nice,'" Trump said.

He then went on to say that police should also not shield the heads of handcuffed suspects.

"You could take the hand away, OK," he said.

After the audience of police officers applauded Trump's remarks, police departments have been issuing statements saying they will not tolerate violations of departmental procedures.

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