05/30/2020

Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police Release Statement on Death of George Floyd

The statement was released after protests turned violent on May 28, 2020

The Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police released a statement May 29, 2020 on the death of George Floyd and the applications of force by officers of the law.

"The power to seize someone or to use force on someone if needed is the greatest authority that we have as law enforcement personnel," said Executive Director Donna Harrass in its statement. "We must be very responsible with that power and cannot abuse it. Law officers are trained to treat all individuals, whether they are a compliant suspect, or defendant with dignity and in accordance with the law. When there is a use of force incident it is the responsibility of police leaders to hold officers accountable when use-of-force incidents are not aligned with an agency policy or appropriate to the given circumstances. We commend Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradonda for his swift and decisive action in this disturbing event."

"No single incident should define an agency or the profession," the statement read. "Most officers perform their duties with professionalism and integrity every day, however, one bad action can influence the public’s perception of all of us. Law enforcement officers need to continue to work hard to build the trust of the communities they serve. Throughout all of this we will continue to hold ourselves to a higher standard and strive to exceed the expectations of our communities we serve."

This release came after protests on May 28, which turned violent and damaged private property and government facilities in Columbus.