Police Chief Issues Statement On Death Of George Floyd

BUFFALO GROVE, IL — One day after announcing his department is monitoring reports of looting in suburban Chicagoland and deploying more officers as a safety measure in the village, Buffalo Grove Police Chief Steven Casstevens released a statement Monday regarding events surrounding the death of George Floyd in Minnesota. It reads as follows:

"To the citizens of Buffalo Grove, thank you for the opportunity to serve you and address your concerns regarding the recent week’s events surrounding the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

First and foremost, my thoughts, prayers, and condolences are with the entire Floyd family. Mr. Floyd died at the hands of a law enforcement officer who was sworn to protect. My officers have all viewed the video and every single one of them is outraged and disgusted with the disregard for life and dignity that played out on that Minneapolis street.

Let me be clear: we condemn this act. I have stated numerous times over the past week to countless media outlets, “If there’s any officer who isn’t disgusted by this video, they should turn in their badge.”

In regard to the men and women of the Buffalo Grove Police Department, I can assure you personally and professionally that this department holds all lives as sacred. Every officer on this police department has signed the Law Enforcement Oath of Honor promulgated by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, which reads:

• On my honor, I will never betray my integrity, my character, or the public trust.
• I will always have the courage to hold myself and others accountable for our actions.
• I will always maintain the highest ethical standards and uphold the values of my community and the agency I serve.

In 2018, every officer signed a document of the Ten Shared Principles between Illinois law enforcement and the Illinois NAACP. This document, along with a signed Oath of Office, is framed and on display in our hallway. The document discusses the basic principles of dignity, fairness, respect, and the tenets of procedural justice and police legitimacy.

Officers of the Buffalo Grove Police Department are professional and receive annual training on use of force. Kneeling on a person’s neck is never, and has never been, an appropriate use of force tactic. In fact, as our profession has progressed over the years, our officers have trained even more vigorously on the process of de- escalation in conjunction with the training that addresses use of force.

This means our goal is to approach, listen, understand, and work to diffuse a situation so that use of force is rarely necessary. We are here to serve and protect, but I pledge to you that we will always perform that duty with dignity, respect, tolerance, and fairness.

My command staff and I welcome any inquiry into our policies and procedures. We hire the best. We train the best. We promote the best. We are committed to transparency in pattern and practice of our profession and, again, I offer you my personal assurance that the kind of assault on life, liberty, and dignity that occurred in Minneapolis is not part of the fabric of this community."

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