LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) -Former Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin was convicted Tuesday for the murder and manslaughter of George Floyd. Several Nebraska officials commented on the verdict;
The traumatic death of George Floyd, and the impact on our nation’s police, continue to wrench our hearts. Though the verdict will be debated, you just can’t put your knee on someone’s neck area for nine minutes and expect to be exonerated in a trial. Perhaps now that this has passed, we can open a new chapter of community-based policing, relationship-building, and non-lethal restraint.
Justice was served today. These verdicts cannot undo the senseless murder of George Floyd, but they deliver sorely needed accountability.
Today’s guilty verdict against Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd has brought some measure of justice for a horrible crime. Yet, it does not erase the trauma and pain felt by communities of color and the frustration felt by many of us at the injustice done. For too many and for too long, calls for justice have gone unanswered while race-based violence and systemic racism continues.
Last year, the death of George Floyd—in the wake of other Black and Brown lives lost—resulted in a more critical and deeper look and personal introspection on how structural racism leads to racial inequities and in some cases, fatal outcomes. Most recently, we have seen countless acts of race-based attacks against our Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities.
I know that this trial and other examples of violence and hate have had a deep impact on our community. Exhaustion in a seemingly endless struggle. Anger at the injustice all around. Personal fear and fatigue. Unsettling questions.
In these times, it is important we find ways to care for and fulfill ourselves, whether connecting and engaging with others, seeking opportunities to learn more, or becoming civically engaged.
In May 2020, it was apparent to my senior command staff and I that Mr. Chauvin was guilty and his actions were reprehensible. Today, the jury’s verdict validates those sentiments and holds Mr. Chauvin accountable for his actions.
Let’s use this moment as an opportunity to find common ground for police and communities all across the country as justice was served.
Omaha has made great strides when the community and OPD have worked together. OPD would like to use this moment to further commit to our community.
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