Like many of their counterparts across the nation, local law enforcement officials are speaking out about the treatment of and subsequent death of George Floyd at the hands of the four now former Minneapolis (Minn.) police officers.
"I was shocked and angered by the treatment of Mr. Floyd. I was also disappointed by the lack intervention from the other officers at the scene. Officers have the responsibility to keep everyone involved safe, including suspects," Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan told Salina Post.
"This type of thing cannot be tolerated by law enforcement leaders and I fully support their termination and any criminal charges they may face," he continued.
Salina Police Chief Brad Nelson said he found Floyd's death to be extremely disturbing, tragic, and absolutely avoidable.
"George Floyd should not have died on May 25th; that is clear!" Nelson said. "In my 35 years of policing in two states and three law enforcement agencies, I have never heard of or received training utilizing the tactics used in Minneapolis to 'control' an already restrained citizen, ever."
Both Nelson and Soldan praised the peacefulness of the two events in Salina over the weekend that were conducted to draw attention to the manner of Floyd's death and the issues faced by persons of color in the United States.
"I have no doubt that the majority of Americans support peaceful protests to have their voices heard regarding policing in America," Nelson said.
"The Light Up the Night Vigil for Justice held by the Salina branch of the NAACP on Saturday evening and the downtown march held Sunday organized by Miranda Bachman were phenomenal examples of how to enact change without the wanton destruction of both public and private property. For that, all Salina citizens should be very proud!" Nelson added.
Training on proper procedures
Both Soldan and Nelson noted that local law enforcement personnel receive extensive training in the use of force.
For Saline County Sheriff's Office personnel, the training is conducted annually, Soldan said.
"It’s the duty of every deputy to intervene, halt, and report any witnessed use of force they consider to be excessive," Soldan explained. "As part of training, officers are taught to move restrained inmates onto their sides or to a supine position as quickly as possible to aid in breathing and to render aid for any signs of distress. We have restraints available for resistive arrestees that allow them to be transported safely in a seated position, greatly reducing the chance of injury."
"Our officers receive extensive training regarding our Use of Force policy throughout their entire careers," Nelson said. "Every single use of force by Salina officers is reviewed by a multitude of supervisors with the final review by the chief of police."
Nelson said that officers receive training on fair and impartial policing, as well as how to recognize and avoid bias based policing.
"We have also introduced crisis intervention training and mental health first aid training to all our officers in an effort to recognize citizens who may be experiencing a mental health crisis so they can respond accordingly," Nelson added.
In 2018, the majority of the Salina Police Department policies and procedures, including its Use of Force Policy, were placed online to further the department's efforts for transparency, Nelson noted. This policy and others can be found at: https://www.powerdms.com/public/SPD2/tree/documents/234016
Additionally, information about the Saline County Sheriff's Office can be found at salinesheriff.org. Among that information is a section about the office's Professional Standards Bureau (PSB). According to the website, the PSB provides the following services to both sheriff's office employees and the community.
•Protect the public from misconduct of an employee
•Protect the department and employees from false accusations of misconduct
•Provide an early warning system of misconduct
•Identify organizational conditions that may contribute to misconduct
Acknowledge employees for conduct above and beyond the call of duty
Update on the SPD Regional Training Center
Nelson said the Salina Police Department Regional Training Center, located at 3770 Yost Drive in south Salina, is 87 percent complete. He noted that construction of the facility is on time and under budget.
"We should be taking possession of the facility, SPD Regional Training Center, in mid-July," Nelson told Salina Post. "It will be fantastic to have a modern training facility, the first in our 100 year history."