Floyd’s death ‘an outrage to anyone who wears the badge,’ Centre County police say
It takes a lot to perturb Bellefonte police Chief Shawn Weaver, but he and his fellow law enforcement leaders in Centre County say they were shocked and angered by George Floyd’s death.
Weaver spoke uninterrupted Thursday for nearly 20 minutes about race, policing and how the two are intertwined. At times, he was angry. Others, he openly wondered what to say.
But the crux of his consternation all came back to the question millions of citizens have been asking themselves: How do you put an end to racism and police brutality?
“I don’t want to be a prisoner of the moment, but damn it, is this always going to happen?” Weaver said. “There are questions that need answered and I think people are afraid to ask those questions and give really hard answers to those questions. ... All we know is this happens too much.”
Floyd, an African American, died last week after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Three other officers looked on, but did not intervene.
His death reignited the Black Lives Matter movement and led to worldwide protests, including one Sunday in downtown State College.
In separate statements, State College police Chief John Gardner, Ferguson Township police Chief Chris Albright, Patton Township police Chief Tyler Jolley, Spring Township police Officer in Charge Ronald Schall, county District Attorney Bernie Cantorna and county Sheriff Bryan Sampsel all condemned the officers’ actions, or lack thereof.
Their behavior constituted an “epic failure on their part,” Gardner said. Albright said he was “sickened” by the officers’ behavior and doesn’t know one officer who wasn’t “disgusted and appalled” by their actions.
Jolley said their behavior was “unacceptable,” while Schall and Sampsel said the officers’ behavior “has no place in law enforcement.” Cantorna called Floyd’s death “criminal and inhumane.”
“We’re outraged,” Weaver said. “Normally when something like this happens, the way a lot of law enforcement reacts is, ‘Well, let’s wait until we find out the whole story.’ And I don’t want to rush to judgment yet, but in this case, it’s very clear. It’s an outrage to anyone who wears the badge.”
The ubiquitous video shows Floyd in a handcuffed, prone position. He said “I can’t breathe” multiple times while former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin placed his left knee in Floyd’s neck and back.
Leaving the head and neck of would-be arrestees alone is “policing 101,” Weaver said.
Chauvin was charged with second-degree murder, while former officers Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao were charged with aiding and abetting murder.
“How do these people get through? What do you talk about? What do you write a story about? It’s gonna happen again,” Weaver said. “... I don’t even know where to begin and it’s frustrating as hell.”
Floyd’s death also serves as a reminder of the warts that Centre County has.
Osaze Osagie, an African American, was fatally shot by a white State College police officer last year as officers attempted to serve a mental health warrant. The officer was later cleared of any wrongdoing, but Osagie’s death sparked protests and calls for change in local policing.
Two Penn State professors in January released a 93-page report that analyzed the challenges African American professors face in gaining employment, and then working their way up to senior leadership positions.
Since Sunday, a Penn State student was accused of making racist statements at a protest organized in the wake of Floyd’s death. He has since rejected the allegations, instead saying it was his father who made the statements.
A former Thon volunteer was seen with a swastika drawn on her shoulder. A purported incoming freshman was seen on video using racist language.
A Philipsburg-Osceola Area High School senior shared an image of himself reenacting Floyd’s death. The caption read, “I can still breath(e). I’m not dead, something is off here.”
The photo was “baldly offensive,” Cantorna said.
“There are longstanding issues in our criminal justice system that must change. They are a reflection of the racial divide and inequities in our society that continue to exist and divide us,” Cantorna said. “... If our legal system is to function, it must protect the vulnerable, seek justice and work to address the underlying issues that cause crime. I support the protesters seeking change in how we police, and the racial and economic inequities that continue to divide us.”
On Thursday, Gov. Tom Wolf announced several actions to improve law enforcement relations with the community and strengthen training and accountability.
Recommendations include providing technical assistance to municipalities to encourage the creation of local citizen advisory boards, reviewing training and education of officers and supporting legislative reforms.