METHUEN — Mayor Neil Perry and Police Chief Joseph Solomon representing the City of Methuen and its leadership team strongly denounce the actions of Minneapolis police that resulted in the death of George Floyd earlier this week.
“Police officers are sworn to protect life, and the actions of a few officers in Minnesota this week have shaken us all,” Mayor Perry said “I denounce and condemn the actions of these officers and I join in the collective mourning and call for action that has permeated our nation.”
The men and women of the Methuen Police Department take part in advanced, ongoing training on de-escalation techniques, mental health, diversity and inclusion, fair and impartial policing and police legitimacy.
“We can only be effective as a law enforcement organization if our community has faith and trust that our actions are bound by the interests of justice at all times,” Chief Solomon said. “The violent methods used by Minneapolis Police are not consistent with proper training and actions of a modern police department. In Massachusetts, our officers are trained not to apply pressure to the neck or throat and to never place a suspect on their face. These practices have been shown prior to Minneapolis to risk tragic results and they have resulted in the loss of human life before this most recent tragedy.”
The Methuen Police Department believes in treating all citizens, including those accused of committing a crime, fairly and with dignity. Officers are trained only to use the amount of force necessary to ensure safety for the suspect, the officers, and civilians in the area.
The Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, representing Police Chiefs in all 351 cities and towns and most college campuses has this week denounced the egregious actions taken by four members of the Minneapolis Police Department, whether by action or inaction, that resulted in the death of George Floyd on May 25. Massachusetts Police Officers have thoroughly embraced the six pillars of the principles embodied in the final report of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, and remain committed to professional conduct, democratic policing and procedural justice for all people.
Chief Solomon and Mayor Perry will be reaching out to civic and religious leaders in Methuen, as the police department encourages partnerships and dialog so that we as a society can better understand one another.
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