Police officers across US slam George Floyd's killing, demand arrests of killer cops: 'Turn your badge in!'
Police officials across the United States are speaking out on the brutal killing of George Floyd on social media, with some calling for the arrests of the officers involved in the black man's death. Police chiefs and sheriffs from across the country have criticized the response of Minneapolis officers who detained Floyd and kneeled on his neck for over eight minutes, ultimately resulting in his death.
The country is seeing widespread protests following Floyd's death as demonstrators demand the arrest of the officers involved. The four Minneapolis police officers involved in Floyd's brutal death were fired on May 26 after a video of the incident went viral on social media. The footage showed Floyd pleading with officers as one of them, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck as the 46-year-old told them to let him stand because he could not breathe. The clip showed Floyd pleading with the officer to allow him to breathe and a few minutes later he became unconscious. He was later pronounced dead. The officers later said that the Floyd was resisting arrest. However, a video released later appeared to show him cooperating with the arrest.
David Roddy, police chief of Chattanooga, Tennessee, slammed the officers involved in the murder. Roddy tweeted on Wednesday, May 27: "There is no need to see more video. There no need to wait to see how 'it plays out.' There is no need to put a knee on someone´s neck for NINE minutes. There IS a need to DO something. If you wear a badge and you don´t have an issue with this... turn it in."
Some officers praised Minneapolis police chief for his quick dismissal of the officers involved and criticized Chauvin. Polk County, Georgia Sheriff Johnny Moats took on Facebook: "I am deeply disturbed by the video of Mr Floyd being murdered in the street with other officers there letting it go on."
"I can assure everyone, me or any of my deputies will never treat anyone like that as long as I'm Sheriff. This kind of brutality is terrible and it needs to stop. All Officers involved need to be arrested and charged immediately. Praying for the family," the Sheriff added.
The public reaction of officers across the country is unprecedented considering police typically calls for patience and calm and is reluctant to weigh in on incidents involving other agency.
San Jose, California, Police Chief Eddie Garcia also criticized the incident, saying he was disturbed by what happened to Floyd. Garcia wrote on Twitter: "Not going hide behind 'not being there'. I'd be one of the first to condemn anyone had I seen similar happen to one of my brother/sister officers. What I saw happen to George Floyd disturbed me and is not consistent with the goal of our mission. The act of one, impacts us all."
Although police nationwide has made similar comments about the incident, some civil rights advocates have said that the officers' condemnation does not mean much without meaningful reform.
A civil rights attorney and professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Gloria Browne-Marshall, said: "Any minute progress is seen as miraculous because so little has been done for so long. It's nothing close to progress or what outrage would be taking place if it was a white man as the victim of this assault."