MARTIN: Although there is this tension - right? - because police in Charlottesville were criticized for not being more aggressive as they watched all this violence unfold. But then you see what happened in places like Baltimore or Ferguson, where police did take this more aggressive approach, and a lot of scandals erupted over claims of of police misconduct. So how do you strike the balance?
CANTERBURY: Well, there's not a balance. Since Ferguson, the false narrative that police in riot gear caused the problem is just a false narrative. People intent on criminal activity created the problem.
MARTIN: Oh, I don't think the issue was that they started the violence. But it was in how they...
CANTERBURY: Right.
MARTIN: ...Responded to the violence there.
CANTERBURY: Well, there's been a lot of discussion, especially by some of the groups that were in Ferguson, that the aggressive nature of law enforcement caused them to become more aggressive. And that's just absolutely ludicrous. Police officers in the proper gear, prepared to take action don't have to stop and then become prepared. You know, there's no need for anybody in a peaceful protest to throw rocks, bottles, carry sticks, knives.
MARTIN: Yeah. The problem is...
CANTERBURY: Those things need to be...
MARTIN: ...When they're not peaceful, which is what we saw in Charlottesville.
CANTERBURY: Right.
MARTIN: I wanted to ask you in our seconds remaining about the comments made by President Trump, putting equal blame for Charlottesville on Nazis and antihate groups. Does that make it more difficult? Does it exacerbate tensions at future rallies?
CANTERBURY: But what I took from President Trump's comments were that people intent on criminal activity were both wrong. Obviously, neo-Nazis, the KKK, anybody that's advocating any kind of violence is absolutely wrong. That should not be allowed. Groups...
MARTIN: Yeah.
CANTERBURY: ...That advocate violence shouldn't be issued permits.
MARTIN: We'll have to leave it there. Chuck Canterbury, president...
(SOUNDBITE OF PHONE RINGING)
MARTIN: ...Of the Fraternal Order of Police, thanks so much for your time.
CANTERBURY: Thank you.
