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Boise, ID (CBS2) — The Boise Police Union's President Guy Bourgeau and Public Information Officer Brian Holland sat down with Newstalk KBOI’s Nate Shelman Thursday to talk about the investigation into the Boise Police Department following online posts from retired Police Captain Matt Bryngelson depicting racist views.

Shelman asked Bourgeau how the officers within the Union felt about being the subject of an investigation based on a former Officer. Bourgeau said there was frustration because of the way it started. They say how the investigation was executed impacted the relationship that Boise Police have with the community.

Holland said the relationships within the ranks of the Boise Police are strained, and there are issues within the leadership of the department that need to be figured out. He went on to say he doesn't mean to generalize the command of the department and there are some great people in command at the department. But when it comes to past Captains, he says there was no accountability and they did things "their own way.” He says he would like to see integrity and accountability for those in higher command of the department.

Shelman asked if they felt Boise Police was a political scapegoat. Both Bourgeau and Holland said “yes.”

Shelman followed up by asking if the department was being used as campaign fodder. Bourgeau said he thinks that "if we were, it didn't work out so well." He said that when the current administration entered City Hall, they had the intention of having a good relationship and working together, but that has since changed when it was realized that the Boise Police Department wasn't appreciated for " how good of a department that we are."

Shelman said there seems to be a disagreement and grievances between the Union and City Hall as well as those in charge of the Boise Police Department. Bourgeau said that there are, at the very least, fractured relationships. He thinks "that the politicization of the Police Department is never a good thing.”

Shelman asked if the Boise Police Union could go to those in charge of the department and have a conversation about their grievances to help repair the relationship and show a united front for the public. Holland said the Union has gone to those in command and had that conversation. He said they were able to present as a united front at the press conference about the investigation but that they keep finding the Union and the Mayor's office and those in command split on this issue.

Bourgeau said that as employees of the department, they should have input and be involved in the leadership and have that relationship with those in command so that they know what their members will face when they go to work.

Shelman asked what the union is doing to show they are united. Holland says they are already doing cultural diversity trainings and there are already liaisons for the different areas of the city.

Bourgeau and Holland both said they think the public trusts Boise Police and that the Officers that work for Boise Police care so much.

As for what’s next, Bourgeau says they want to get back to doing what they love to do. They will be watching what happens with the administration of City Hall and the future of the City.

Bourgeau wants the citizens who have questions about the investigation to talk to them, saying he believes in transparency and that they "are good officers that do a good job.”

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