Sheriff: I will be a force for change

I want to make something absolutely clear: what happened to George Floyd at the hands of four Minneapolis police officers was indefensible, unexplainable and criminal.

I know when these types of horrible incidents occur, the public trust in law enforcement — something we have worked very hard at the Orange County Sheriff ’s Office to build — is badly shaken.

And I want to say I’m sorry. I’m sorry for the pain Floyd’s family and loved ones have endured. And I’m sorry for incidents across the nation and in our own community where people have been wrongly hurt by those who have sworn an oath to protect and serve. This moment can be — it must be — a call to action for all of us.

I know this is a time for me, and others in law enforcement, to listen. I’ve been listening to members of our community, talking with faith leaders and paying attention to voices from around the country.

I was sickened when I watched the video chronicling George Floyd’s last breaths — not just by the actions of one officer, but by the of the others.

That was the impetus for immediately adding language to our use-of-force policy about a deputy’s “duty to intervene.” Although all deputies are aware of that duty, and we reinforce it in training every year, I thought it was important to ensure the language was added to our policy.

I have been listening to the many suggestions and ideas that have come from the community. Many of you have heard about the “8 Can’t Wait” law enforcement reforms. The ideas include banning chokeholds, requiring law enforcement officers to intervene when they witness misconduct and requiring reporting of use of force incidents. Most of the recommendations are already in our policies, training and philosophy. But we know that’s not enough. That’s why we are forming an internal committee to examine many of our policies and make necessary changes. And that will be done with input from my Citizen’s Advisory Committee.

I know there are many more ideas out there that we must be committed to examining with an open mind. And although there’s a lot of talk about “defunding” the police, that is not the answer. Residents tell me every day that they want more, not fewer, deputies in their neighborhoods.

I agree that social programs, jobs and mental health and addiction resources are extremely important, and those things should be funded. But there is still crime happening in this community. Last year, the Orange County Sheriff ’s Office received 1.2 million calls for service. We need the resources to respond to those calls and continue to keep this community safe.

I hope as a community and a nation we will embrace the opportunity together to take on these difficult issues and make real progress, one step at a time.

We must continue to hold our law enforcement officers to the highest professional and ethical standards. We must continue to train our officers in de-escalation tactics and embrace transparency through the use of body-worn cameras. We must be up front with our communities — when we do things right and when we do things wrong.

Law enforcement is not perfect. We make mistakes. But our agencies are made up of some of the most honorable, dedicated and hard-working men and women anywhere. They risk their lives, day after day, to keep all of us safe.

Over the last couple of weeks, we have received a lot of support from our community, and for that we are eternally grateful. But many deputies and officers who have done nothing wrong and are committed professionals have also been yelled at and had rocks thrown at them.

I hope we can agree that fundamentally, we all share some important ideals. We all love our families. We all want our loved ones to come home safely at the end of the day. We all want to build a better world for our children and their children. Moving forward, here’s my commitment to you: I will listen, I will be a force for change, and I will remain committed to protecting and cultivating the trust that we have earned.