Philly police boycotting Sixers game

Officers angry after Iverson claims he's scared of Philadelphia cops

? Hey, Allen! Cops are Sixers fans too, you know.

Well, maybe not any more.

Some Philly cops are boycotting a Sixers-sponsored law-enforcement night because they are angry with Allen Iverson for saying he fears city police.

About 40 policemen have refused to get tickets to the event, said Fraternal Order of Police President Robert Eddis.

The cranky cops are from the 8th District, which is in Northeast Philadelphia, Eddis said.

“I’m a Sixers fan and I hate to see him make comments about crooked cops,” Eddis said. “Whether he likes it or not, he’s an example to the young kids.”

During an interview last month, Iverson said, “I’ve heard about police officers toasting to Allen Iverson’s next felony conviction. I’m hearing about them saying I’m involved with one thing or another, and it scares me.”

He also said, “I know that if there’s a crooked cop out there, they could do anything to me. He could do anything. Allen Iverson could wind up dead tomorrow if a crooked cop wants him dead. It’s as simple as that. I want to be in Philadelphia, but I’m scared to be here.”

Police said no such threats have been made against Iverson.

Sixers spokeswoman Karen Frascona said she was not aware of a group of cops refusing to attend the event, which offers discounted tickets to police for the Jan. 8 Sixers-Pistons game.

She said the Sixers had received one letter from a cop who said he did not want to attend.

Frascona also said Iverson’s comments had been blown out of proportion.

“I’ve talked to Allen since then and he didn’t mean to make a sweeping generalization about police in Philadelphia,” she said.

Maybe Iverson should tell people that himself.

After Iverson made the comments, Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson asked Deputy Commissioner John Norris, head of internal affairs, to try to interview the Iversons about their worries, said police spokesman Inspector William Colarulo.

Colarulo said he did not know if the police attempt to reach out to Iverson had been successful. Norris did not respond to a call for comment.

This isn’t the first boycott instituted by Philly cops.

There has been an official police boycott against the First Union Center since 1999, when rock group Rage Against the Machine held a concert there in support of convicted cop-killer Mumia Abu-Jamal.