Norwalk Mayor — A Former Police Chief — Comments On Minneapolis

NORWALK, CT — Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling, the city's chief of police for nearly 20 years before becoming mayor, issued a statement Saturday on Friday's murder arrest of a former Minneapolis, Minnesota police officer and the civil unrest that has gripped that city and the nation.

Over the past several nights, protests against the treatment of blacks and minorities by members of law enforcement have sprung up in Minnesota and around the country. Many of those demonstrations have turned ugly, as protesters scream for justice for George Floyd.

Floyd, 46, was killed while being arrested by four police officers earlier this week, and all four officers have been fired by the Minneapolis department. One of the former officers, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in connection with the incident.

Chauvin, who is white, was seen in videos with his knee on the neck of Floyd, who was black. Floyd repeatedly said he that he could not breathe during the incident, and a crowd of spectators could be heard begging Chauvin to get off of Floyd.

As of Saturday morning, the other three former officers involved in the incident had not been charged.

Rilling said the following:

"There is no legal or moral justification for the actions taken by Minneapolis Police Officers that claimed Mr. Floyd’s life. Placing a knee on someone’s neck is never an appropriate use of force. Police Officers are there to protect and serve the community – including people in custody. Any officer who abuses their power or who watches silently and allows it to happen is not fit to wear the badge of honor. They must be held accountable.

"My heart breaks for Mr. Floyd’s family and friends. I grieve with the Minneapolis community over this senseless tragedy that could and should have been avoided. Those protesting in Minneapolis and around the country are human beings who are rightfully hurt, outraged, and sickened by what happened to Mr. Floyd.

"As a Police Department and City, we know we are not perfect, but we are proud of the work that we in Norwalk have done and continue to do to help build trust and strengthen relationships across different communities. The Norwalk Police Department and my office will continue to protect and serve the residents of Norwalk."