The mayor of Cincinnati Thursday night gave an emotional apology to the police department and the union after he mistakenly issued a proclamation in honor of a convicted cop-killer.
Mayor John Cranley sent a letter to the local FOP and then broke down in tears during a news conference after unintentionally signing the proclamation making June 1 "Tre Day" in honor of Trepierre Hummons, who fatally shot Officer Sonny Kim in June 2015, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer.
"This was a huge mistake. It's not done intentionally. It's human error, but the buck stops with me," Cranley said during the news conference. "I love our police department. I would never do anything to hurt them."
The mayor's office receives several proclamation requests from citizens each week, which ar e handled by the mayor's Chief of Staff Stutz Smith. The mayor's signature stamp is on the proclamations, but Cranley said he did not see the "Tre Day" proclamation before it was released and posted on social media by the cop-killer's father.
While Smith took responsibility for the mistake, Cranley said that the fault ultimately falls on him.
"Please know that I had no idea that this request had been made and would never give permission to issue a proclamation honoring the murderer of Officer Sonny Kim, a true public servant who sacrificed his life while protecting the safety of the citizens of Cincinnati," Cranley wrote in the letter to Cncinnati FOP President Dan Hils.
Cranley has been a strong advocate for the police department since being elected in 2013. He was endorsed by the FOP in 2013 and was again ahead of this month's upcoming primary.