Police officers around the country sound off on Minneapolis policing that led to George Floyd death
Law enforcement officials around the country are publicly condemning the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who was seen on video gasping for breath as a white officer held him down with a knee on his neck for close to eight minutes.
Video Transcript
DMAINE FREELAND: So I feel compelled to say something, because I realized by saying nothing that I am indeed saying something. With that piece, and I'd like to state that although we wear the same uniform, and although we wear the same badge, and our job descriptions are similar in many ways, me and every good cop in the department are different from that heinous act that has transpired in Minneapolis.
DANNY BAKER: But I think it's important for Fort Smith and for our community for me to step up and say something. Because silence is not working. Pretending that it's somewhere else and someone else's problem is not working. And it's certainly not helpful for you, our citizens.
The things that I'm seeing in this country today are anything but peacemaking. In fact, if anything, it's creating a bigger divide between people. So I want the folks of Fort Smith, I particularly want our African-American and our black friends and neighbors to know that I see, we see, we at the enforcement police department see what's going on around us. And we're committed to doing our dead level best to make sure that nothing like this happens in Fort Smith.
RENEE HALL: We condemn the actions that led up to George Floyd's death. There are no words. That's not indicative of our training. It's not indicative who we are in law enforcement. There was no empathy in what we saw, and it is disheartening.
JORGE COLINA: We are deeply disturbed with what we saw in that video. I'd like to say that I stand with Chief Arradondo of the Minneapolis Police Department with the swift action that he took once he was made aware of that video. I don't think anyone can see that video and not be disturbed by it. It is very evident that what occurred there was wrong. There is no training across anywhere in this country, but especially here at the city of Miami, that teaches someone to take that kind of action.
PABLO BALBOA: My take on this is very simple. The man was murdered. Nowhere in mechanics of arrest are we ever taught to put our knees onto somebody's neck slash throat area, especially for that long. And the three officers standing around watching that happen, y'all are at fault too. Y'all could have told the man, get off of him. He can't breathe. I mean, you're hearing him say it, but then you allow it to just continue. Whatever happens to those officers happens. It should have never gotten that way ever. Rest in peace George Floyd.
