To the Editor:

The Maine criminal justice community, which includes the Maine Chiefs of Police Association, the Maine Sheriffs Association, the Maine Prosecutors Association, and the Maine Department of Public Safety, stand united with Maine people in mourning the senseless and unjust death of George Floyd. Together, we condemn the actions of those law enforcement officers responsible for Mr. Floyd’s death.

We offer our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Floyd. We cannot ignore the video or his pleas for help. We must all learn from this and other tragic events so that they are never repeated. The pain and outrage across our country has led to violence, looting, and property damage. We, too, are outraged. There is no place for racism and police brutality in Maine or in our country. Maine law enforcement officers can and must do better.

We cannot change what happened, but we can look inward and forward. We will all thoroughly review our policies and procedures, and we will continue to attract, hire, and retain only the best police candidates to serve our communities. We commit to remaining transparent and eliminating police cultures that condone any social injustices. We will continue to enhance our training to include important topics, such as implicit bias, to ensure that we support a system that guarantees equal justice under the law to every Maine resident.

As community leaders, we are all accountable for the actions of our police officers. We must continue to build trust and follow best practices. We recognize that change starts with us. We embrace and honor this responsibility.

We work every day to protect and serve every person in our great State. We strive to ensure that our police officers and prosecutors treat every person with respect, dignity, and fairness, without regard to race, religious beliefs, or socio-economic status. We can and will do this with your support, so that Maine never witnesses such a tragic and senseless death in any of our own communities.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.

Chief Jack Peck

President, Maine Chiefs of Police Association

Sheriff Troy Morton

President, Maine Sheriffs Association

D.A.Andrew Robinson

President, Maine Prosecutors Association

Commissioner Michael Sauschuck

Maine Department of Public Safety