PHILADELPHIA -- A group of police offers in Philadelphia is refusing to buy tickets for the annual Sixers law enforcement night to protest comments made by guard Allen Iverson.

The group of police, from the 8th District in Northeast Philadelphia, were angered with Iverson's statement that he fears police in the city, according to Wednesday's Philadelphia Inquirer. The game is Jan. 8 vs. Detroit.

"I'm a Sixers fan and I hate to see him make comments about crooked cops," Robert Eddis, the president of the Fraternal Order of Police, told the Inquirer. "Whether he likes it or not, he's an example to the young kids."

In an interview with two Philadelphia writers 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."

A Sixers spokeswoman told the newspaper that she wasn't aware of any organized protest. She also said that one police officer had sent a letter saying he wouldn't attend.

"I've talked to Allen since then and he didn't mean to make a sweeping generalization about police in Philadelphia," the spokeswoman, Karen Frascona, told the Inquirer.