New York

DEA Head Tells Agents That Trump Condoned Police Misconduct

Trump, during a speech before law enforcement officers in New York, appeared to encourage officers to treat suspects roughly

The acting administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration said in a memo to his agency's employees that President Donald Trump's remarks about the treatment of suspects "condoned police misconduct,” NBC News reported. 

Trump, during a speech Friday before law enforcement officers on New York's Long Island, appeared to encourage officers to treat suspects roughly.

"When you guys put somebody in the car and you're protecting their head, you know, the way you put their hand over?" Trump said. "Like, don't hit their head, and they just killed somebody — don't hit their head, I said, you can take the hand away, okay?"

In a July 29 email to the DEA workforce obtained by NBC News, Acting Administrator Chuck Rosenberg said he was writing because "we have an obligation to speak out when something is wrong."

He then listed "core values" that he said were "clear and applicable," including "Rule of Law, Respect and Compassion, Service, Devotion, Integrity, [and] Accountability."

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