During the Village Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, June1, 2020, Mayor Paul Braun and Flossmoor Police Chief Tod Kamleiter issued these two official statements regarding the death of George Floyd.
Mayor Paul Braun: Many have said it already, but it bears repeating. Right now, it is extremely difficult to find the right words to say. Our nation, our region and our community are hurting by yet another instance of the unjustified killing of a black man; a pain that our black friends, families and neighbors have endured for decades.
The Village Board of Trustees, Village Staff, and I publicly condemn the actions of the Minneapolis police officers that led to the senseless death, frankly murder of George Floyd, those of which, along with other senseless and tragic murders of black Americans, has stained the reputation of law enforcement as a whole. This anger and frustration is on top of systemic issues that continue to contribute to inequities.
Here in Flossmoor, a community of diversity and inclusion, I am proud of the men and women of the Flossmoor Police Department and their commitment to protect and serve. The relationships that our police department have created and nurtured over many years with residents through programs like DARE and the Citizens Police Academy, in addition to its commitment to fighting racial inequities with the 10 Shared Principals of Policing and the Unity Partnerships, are reasons why the mutual trust and respect between our officers and our residents is stronger than most communities.
During these difficult times I, along with the Board of Trustees, encourage Flossmoor to come together and stand as one community. We are not naïve or immune to racist incidents, and we continue to work as one community to silence the voices of hatred and bigotry. There is much work that needs to be done to end the scourge of racism and I know that we as a community can do our part.
I encourage our residents to express their first amendment rights and speak out, but I ask that these demonstrations be done in a peaceful and safe manner. I want us all to serve as a beacon of light and hope that despite race, gender, socioeconomic standing, and our other differences, we are all one Flossmoor and we will stand together, as we have in the past, in unity for a better tomorrow.
Police Chief Tod Kamleiter: Collectively as a professional police organization, the Flossmoor Police Department denounces the actions that led to the death of George Floyd. The job of law enforcements is to protect and serve, and we must do so with compassion and care for all. As stated in the first of our 10 shared principals, “We value the life of every person and consider life to be the highest value”
We know that Flossmoor is a small piece of the recent events unfolding in response to Floyd’s death. But, we also know that Flossmoor is not immune to acts of hate. We hear and see the outcry, and support the peaceful demonstrations that have occurred.
It is our goal to continue to support peaceful protest during this delicate time, but our number one priority is the protection of people. If anyone has any questions in regard to our officer training practices or our department policies, they can feel free to contact myself or any of our command staff at any time.