Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton delivered a statement on behalf of the Mayor and Council, Monday, in which they condemned unanimously the police-involved death of George Floyd, following his arrest by Minneapolis police officers.
The Mayor and Council stands in solidarity with others across the country seeking to end the injustice of racism.
In Rockville, “we celebrate our diversity and we stand for inclusion,” Newton said, reading from the joint statement.
The city prides itself on being a safe place for all people, and officers from the Rockville City Police Department, city staff and elected officials are committed to maintaining that.
“This requires more than rhetoric,” Newton said on behalf of the Mayor and Council. “It requires a culture of inclusion and action to uphold our values.”
THE STATEMENT, IN FULL:
I begin our meeting this evening by making a statement on behalf of each member of the Rockville City Mayor and Council.
Our hearts are broken by the horrific murder of Mr. George Floyd. Our prayers and tears are with Mr. Floyd’s family and friends — and we stand in solidarity with all who seek justice to bring an immediate end to racism in our country. We know that there have been too many lives cut short by injustice.
We – the Mayor and Council of Rockville, Maryland – join with the nation in condemning the killing of Mr. George Floyd by an officer of the Minneapolis police department. Unnecessary use of force by any police officer under any circumstances not only endangers the life and health of innocent people — it also leads to mistrust between police and the community they serve. We all have a responsibility to speak out against injustice.
In the words of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “There comes a time when silence is betrayal. In the end we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends.”
In Rockville — we celebrate our diversity and we stand for inclusion. We take great pride that our city is safe for all people — and that our police, our city staff — and our elected officials do all that they — we — can — to keep it that way. This requires more than rhetoric. It requires a culture of inclusion and action to uphold our values.
As we continue to do the work that needs to be done — we thank Chief Victor Brito and the men and women of the Rockville City Police Department for their professionalism and integrity. We thank our chief for speaking out against behavior that is not representative of good policing. Our RCPD has worked tirelessly to train the entire department on fair and impartial policing and to foster partnerships between our police and our community. We will continue to do that because safety and inclusion are basic, fundamental hallmarks of our community.
We know that a lot of people are in pain right now — and we know that together — we will get through this.
As your Mayor and Council — we will work to uphold our values of inclusion — and we stand with you