Last Updated on May 31, 2020 9:56 am
The North Carolina Sheriffs' Association has issued a statement on the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
The full statement is below. WataugaOnline.com would like to thank Watauga County Sheriff Len Hagaman for passing along this information.
The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association stands for the protection of the rights of all citizens. The sheriffs of North Carolina expect all law enforcement officers to conduct themselves professionally and lawfully at all times. These higher standards of conduct include reserving the use of force, especially deadly force, for those times when its use is absolutely necessary and lawful.
While we are not privy to the full investigation, what we have seen in the video of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota is unacceptable. The video clearly shows unprofessional and egregious conduct by law enforcement officers. This type of law enforcement conduct cannot be tolerated and must be swiftly addressed by the law enforcement community and the criminal justice system.
Part of the mission of the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association is to provide education and training to sheriffs and their personnel. The law enforcement conduct displayed in this video is inexcusable and totally contrary to the training provided to law enforcement officers in North Carolina.
As sheriffs, we strive to build relationships with everyone in our communities. These relationships are built on mutual respect between officers and their community. It is by our conduct that law enforcement officers earn the respect of the public we are sworn to serve. This type of egregious misconduct by a few officers erodes the respect citizens have for all officers. Therefore, when law enforcement officers violate laws or policy, we expect them to immediately be held accountable. We, the members of theNorth Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, will tolerate nothing less.
We extend our deepest sympathies to George Floyd, his family, the citizens and businesses of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the law enforcement community that live up to their oath and creed of respect, courage, dedication, and service to protect and serve their community.
