MAUMEE, Ohio — Maumee's chief of police spoke out on social media Tuesday to condemn the Minnesota police actions he saw before the death of George Floyd while the man was in custody May 25.
In a lengthy Facebook post, Chief David Tullis II said he wants his community to know he condemns what he witnessed and also called for all of the officers involved in Floyd's death to be held accountable.
Tullis said on Tuesday that the Maumee Police Division "hears and listens to the public outcry and anger and we understand. I am willing to do anything to prevent this deplorable action from occurring again. We know that we work for our community and its citizens, businesses and schools. We now have to regain the trust and respect of the community we police."
Maumee officers were called in to help Toledo on Saturday, when protests sparked by Floyd's death and ultimately calling for an end to racial inequalities and systemic racism black people face regarding police interactions turned violent.
Tullis pledged to promote fairness in community policing by leading by example.
"The best way to rid law enforcement of this danger is through quality leadership, outstanding supervision from our sergeants, effective discipline policy and quality training. I promise that I will lead by example and make sure that the officers that I police with will represent law enforcement in a positive ethical, professional and honorable manner," he wrote.
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FULL TEXT OF CHIEF TULLIS' STATEMENT
To the citizen and community of Maumee, I as your Police Chief and a veteran of law enforcement for 35 + years I was horrified, sickened, and sadden when on May 25, I viewed a video of Minneapolis officers taking a series of actions that violated police policies, the Constitution of the United States and common human decency that resulted the end of Mr. George Floyd’s life. He was restrained in the prone position, unable to breathe, and suffocated, even as he and onlookers called out for help. Police are trained that this type of restraint with a subject in prone position is inherently dangerous. Derek Chauvin, the officer who can be seen most clearly in witness videos pinning Mr. Floyd to the ground, does not represent the vast number of men and women who took the oath of a law enforcement officer.
I want my community to know that I condemn what I witnessed and feel that the officers involved in the death of George Floyd were criminal in their action and need to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. My heartfelt prayers go out to George Floyd, his family, friends and community. I want everyone to know that Maumee Police Division hears and listens to the public outcry and anger and we understand. I am willing to do anything to prevent this deplorable action from occurring again. We know that we work for our community and its citizens, businesses and schools. We now have to regain the trust and respect of the community we police. Being transparent to what, why and how we police will help build the trust lost by the actions of a few bad officers.
When I became a law enforcement officer, I saw that my fundamental duty was to serve the community; to safeguard lives and property to respect the constitutional rights of all to liberty, equality, and justice. I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I accept it as a public trust to be held so long, as I am true to the ethics of police service. I will never engage in acts of corruption, bias policing, brutality or bribery, nor will I condone such acts by other police officers.
I will always have the courage to hold myself and others accountable for our actions. This is why I felt I had to speak out for the injustice that was done to George Floyd by ex-Officers Derek Chauvin. The other three ex-officers on the scene, Officers Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas K. Lane, should be held accountable for their lack of action to stop the illegal and inhumane act that Officer Chauvin was committing. They did not live up to the oath they swore to uphold, and they allowed a human to die at the hands of law enforcement. This incident was a violation of humanity and law.
Our job is inherently dangerous in general, but what makes law enforcement even more dangerous and harder for all our good and honorable officers to navigate is when there are individual officers that are incompetent, lack quality training, have a mediocre work ethic, lack integrity, and practice bias policing. These types of officers lose the trust and respect that is needed from our community in order for honorable and just law enforcement officers to perform their duties. The best way to rid law enforcement of this danger is through quality leadership, outstanding supervision from our sergeants, effective discipline policy and quality training. I promise that I will lead by example and make sure that the officers that I police with will represent law enforcement in a positive ethical, professional and honorable manner.
Respectfully submitted,
Chief David H. Tullis II