The recent actions by police officers in Minneapolis that caused the death of George Floyd are intolerable and cause us all to think twice about the dignity of all persons, the value of life and our responsibility as a local government. As a result, City Manager Jason Gage has drafted a formal resolution expected to be formalized by Springfield City Council Monday evening.
“This resolution is very direct and on point, as intended. It allows all of us to collectively be intentional with regard to our thoughts concerning this horrific incident and what that means for our community and organization,” Gage said. “We think this statement is vitally important, but just an initial step for our organization and community.”
Read the resolution here.
Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams issued a statement Friday, May 29, reading: “I’m aware of and following the recent events in Minneapolis. I was shocked by the behavior of the Minneapolis police officers that led to the untimely death of George Floyd. The actions seen in the video do not align with the training or values of the Springfield Police Department, nor with those of the policing profession as a whole, and I consider those actions egregious and inexcusable.”
Williams went on to say, “I also understand that while this tragedy occurred hundreds of miles away, it still affects us all in a variety of ways. The members of the SPD want to assure the citizens of Springfield that we stand with them and we respect their right to voice their concerns, peacefully. We are committed to continuing to partner with all members of our community to ensure that our city remains a place we can all be proud of.”
City Council will meet for its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, June 1 at 6:30 p.m. electronically via teleconferencing technology due to City offices being closed to the public at this time.
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