Following Derek Chauvin’s conviction yesterday in the murder of George Floyd, NAACP Bucks County branch president Karen Downer released the following statement:
“We are gratified that the jury in this case knew that what we all saw on that tape was purely and simply murder. They recognized that a badge is not a shield from accountability.
“Unfortunately, even since the murder of George Floyd, we continue to see police behavior that makes every Black parent afraid for their children when they leave the house. All of us deserve to know we are safe with and protected by our police. We must stand together to demand substantive reform that delivers real public safety for everyone, no matter the color of their skin.
“We call on all who believe in the promise of America to join us in:
– Ending the horrors of police brutality and a criminal justice system that has failed us so often
– Demanding that our Pennsylvania General Assembly pass substantive reform that holds police accountable and makes families and communities safer
– Calling for the collection of data on police encounters
– Ending qualified immunity that shields law enforcement from any responsibility for their actions
“Let us together ensure that the deaths of George Floyd and so many others before and since were not in vain.”
