Ex-Philadelphia police chief Charles Ramsey predicts violence at political conventions this summer


In this March 23, 2015, file photo, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey speaks during a news conference in Philadelphia. Ramsey announced his retirement Wednesday Oct. 14, 2015 at a news conference as the administration that brought him to Philadelphia comes ... more >

By Ben Wolfgang - The Washington Times - Sunday, July 10, 2016

The “very volatile” state of race relations in America today is likely to lead to violence at the Republican and Democratic conventions this summer, Philadelphia’s former police chief predicted Sunday morning.

Charles H. Ramsey, who retired last year after heading Philadelphia’s police department for eight years, told NBC News Sunday that he believes heated rhetoric will lead to violence when both major political parties convene their conventions this month.

“We are sitting on a powder keg,” Mr. Ramsey, who also headed President Obama’s task force on 21st-century policing, told “Meet the Press.”

“Obviously when you look at what’s going on, we are at a very, very critical point in the history of this country,” he said. “I think you have two conventions coming up that are going to be very, very challenging to handle, and I don’t think they’re going to go without some incident taking place.

It’s unfortunate, but that’s what I personally think. I hope that’s not the case, but you’ve got too many people now that are with this extreme rhetoric and that is just not good for anybody.”

Mr. Ramsey also served as police chief in Washington, D.C., from 1998 to 2007.

Republicans will gather next week in Cleveland, and Democrats will meet the following week in Philadelphia.

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