'Deep And Structural Inequity' In Society: West Chester PD, Mayor

WEST CHESTER, PA — As protests and riots hit the greater Philadelphia area related to the killing of George Floyd, West Chester was among the local muncipalities whose police departments issued a statement to the community.

The department's chief of police, James Morehead, as well as West Chester Mayor Dianne Herrin, signed a letter condemning the actions that led to the killing of of Floyd, 46, a Minneapolis man. Floyd was killed after police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for nine minutes, an "unconscionable" action, the pair said.

The incident sparked protests and riots in cities around the country. Demonstrations hit Philadelphia and the southeastern Pennsylvania suburbs Saturday night into early Sunday morning, with fires and damage done to businesses. Even the King of Prussia Mall and other parts of the suburbs were impacted.

All told hundreds were arrested in Philadelphia, and more than a dozen officers were injured. Unrest continued into Monday.

In addition to condemning Floyd's killing, Morehead and Herrin wanted to reassure residents that West Chester was working hard to ensure all officers go through "implicit and overt bias" training. All officers must wear active body cameras in West Chester.

Here's the full statement issued by Morehead and Herrin over the weekend:

"Upon watching the video of George Floyd’s arrest and death, we find this incident unconscionable. We want to express our heartfelt support for Mr. Floyd’s loved ones and friends. We acknowledge the pain this incident evokes among people of color, and the sadness it creates among all members of our community who understand this incident as an appalling example of a deep and structural inequity in our society at large.

Here in the West Chester Police Department, we want to assure our community that we are aggressively building on the tremendous progress this Department has made over the past decades to ensure every officer adheres to his or her sworn oath of office, which follows:

I do solemnly declare and affirm, that I will support, obey and defend the Constitution of the United States, and of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and that I will uphold, obey and enforce the law without consideration to a person’s race, color, sex, religious creed, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry, handicap or disability; and that I will execute the duties of my office of the Borough of West Chester, Pennsylvania, with fidelity.

Every officer in our Department undergoes the most up-to-date training in implicit and overt bias, appropriate use-of-force, modern de-escalation techniques, cultural diversity, and fair and impartial policing. Additionally, we have put an emphasis on controlled tactics training, so when officers are faced with individuals who refuse arrest, the officer knows what measures are appropriate and effective without increasing risk of injury. This year, we required every officer to wear and use body-worn cameras. Our Department is also working to seek accreditation, which ensures our policies will continue to reflect the most modern and progressive 21st-century policing practices, and promotes community trust and accountability within our Department.

The West Chester Police Department will uphold and enforce discipline, strict professional standards, and a transparent citizen complaint process. We recognize it is our moral and professional duty to reflect the values of our community, and we are proud to uphold this obligation."