Montgomery Police Condemn Floyd's Death, Plan For Protests

GAITHERSBURG, MD — The actions of the Minneapolis police officers involved in George Floyd's death were condemned by Montgomery County Police, and the department is prepared to keep protests peaceful, should they occur, spokesman Capt. Thomas Jordan said.

"Our department is one of the most progressive departments in the country. Our training is nothing like you saw in Minnesota," Jordan said in an interview with Patch. "We do everything we can to preserve life — and we believe in the sanctity of life."

Protests erupted across the country after a video surfaced this week that showed Floyd, a black man in handcuffs, pleading for air as a white cop knelt on his neck. In the now-viral video, Officer Derek Chauvin continued to press his knee down on Floyd's neck — even after he appeared to lose consciousness.

"(The video) was horrible to see. That's not how we train our agency at all," Jordan said. "I have spoken to people in the department and they seem to say the same word, 'horrible.'"

When asked if he thought Floyd's death was murder, Jordan said it was up to the courts to decide.

"Those aren't the outcomes we seek," Jordan said. "The agency in Minneapolis has a lot of issues they'll have to work out and review, and be self-reflective on. My department fully supports the rule of law and due process. Obviously those things were not afforded to George Floyd."

Thousands of people have taken to the streets to protest Floyd's death. Some protests have been peaceful, while others turned violent.

In Minneapolis, the epicenter of protests, rioters set a police precinct on fire and looted numerous businesses. As demonstrations boiled over, officers fired flash bang grenades, tear gas, and rubber bullets at crowds of people.

Jordan doesn't know of any demonstrations in Montgomery County, but said the department is prepared to mobilize if needed.

A part of that response, according to Jordan, would be to deploy officers from the Special Event Response Team who are specifically trained to manage protests. They're equipped with protective gear — like shields, helmets, and pepper spray. But Jordan says they won't use them if they don't have to.

"Their overall mission is to allow for peaceful protest and demonstrations, but also to protect from violent actions," he said. "We can't allow harm to come to people, or looting and rioting. That's not acceptable under any circumstance."

SEE ALSO:

• George Floyd Death: Former Cop Derek Chauvin Charged With Murder
• Devastation In Minneapolis As Unrest Spreads Across U.S.