The National Fraternal Order of Police put Reacher actor Alan Ritchson on blast as “another useless Hollywood actor” after the actor claimed that “cops get away with murder all the time.”

Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher in Reacher (2023), Prime Video

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ritchson was asked about his 2020 Instagram post that shows him wearing a T-shirt that reads, “Arrest the cops that killed Breonna Taylor.”

“That was a tragic case,” Ritchson answered. “Cops get away with murder all the time, and the fact that we can’t really hold them accountable for their improprieties is disturbing to me.”

He continued, “We should completely reform the way that we do it. I mean, you shouldn’t have to spend more time getting an education as a hairstylist than as a cop who’s armed with a deadly weapon. We should make it very hard for people to make mistakes or abuse power in our institutions.”

Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher in Reacher (2023), Prime Video

The National Fraternal Order of Police responded to Ritchson’s comments posting on X, “While Mr. Ritchson gets his face and forehead powdered on set, our officers are out doing a job he doesn’t have the courage to do. While he gets to hear loud pops and have blanks fired at him, our officers feel the heat of the bullets as they pierce their skin.”

The organization continued, “There are no take two’s or take three’s in real life Mr. Ritchson. We have people who want to kill us and we play for keeps.”

“Just another useless Hollywood actor, virtue signaling for attention at the expense of brave police officers around this country. Go back to your pampered life and let the heroes handle this,” it concluded.

Ritchson responded to the National Fraternal Order of Police on Instagram writing, “This kind of emotionally immature response is the epitome of what concerns me about law enforcement today. If this is how leadership handles a peaceful disagreement, what does life look like for those unseen interactions in the street? How does this shape the character of those police officers looking to management?”

He continued, “Do you really want individuals so easily angered, who bully like school children to have a gun and the protection of an untouchable union? ⁣I don’t.⁣”

Alan Ritchson at the 2016 Space City Comic Con in Houston, Texas. Photo Credit: Daniel Benavides from Austin, TX, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Ritchson then declared, “To [National Fraternal Order of Police] : You belittle me for being incapable of demonstrating bravery, but I believe that’s exactly what I’ve shown. You’ve haplessly fired multiple shots at me simply because I have called for more accountability.

I did this knowing people like you who crave a pat on the back and zero accountability would criticize me. Standing up to impossibly large institutions takes courage. I’ve never been a fan of blind allegiance which is dangerous and fertile ground for fascism, a political persuasion I’m averse to.”

“I also believe two truths can be held at the same time,” he continued. “There are absolutely many good and brave cops who deserve the public’s gratitude and certainly have mine. Simultaneously, it is true that there are rogue or ill-equipped officers who remind us that we need higher barriers to entry and stricter regulations so abuses are relegated to the past. Both can be and are true.

To only seek praise and ignore this need is extremely unwise and endangers those at risk of being ostracized and marginalized – which is who I was referring to in my Hollywood Reporter article.”

Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher in Reacher (2023), Prime Video

From there, Ritchson turned his attention to Floridians and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, “To make matters worse, in Florida, voters perpetuate these issues by continuing to support people like Gov. Desantis who just passed a law making it illegal for anyone other than the police to police themselves. This, lack of transparency would be laughable if not so deadly.”

“I’m certain efforts like these take us further from the world I hope to leave for my children, which is one with extreme prudence when deciding who we arm and a glass house for public institutions. Especially ones with the ability to end lives. ⁣ So thank you for your service and yes… I do think like that,” he concluded.

What do you make of the National Fraternal Order of Police’s criticism of Ritchson? What do you make of Ritchson’s response?