nothin Police Denounce Police Brutality | New Haven Independent

Police Denounce Police Brutality

The city’s police chief led over 100 masked officers in a department-wide denunciation of police brutality — and in a collective renewal of their vows to faithfully and impartially” protect the city and its residents.

That is the subject of a nearly three minute video that the New Haven Police Department published Saturday on the department’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.

The video shows Reyes, the department’s three assistant chiefs, and roughly 100 uniformed officers all standing in front of police headquarters at 1 Union Ave.

Today New Haven wants to call out every single law enforcement officer around the country to stand with us and to stand against police brutality,” Reyes says to the camera.

The video comes at the end of a week that has seen anti-police brutality protests erupt around the country, largely in response to a viral video showing a white Minneapolis police officers killing a 46-year-old black man, George Floyd, by pinning him to the ground and pressing his knee into his neck for over five minutes as Floyd pleads, I can’t breathe.”

It also comes one day after dozens of local police accountability protesters rallied for five hours late Friday night on the front lawn of Mayor Justin Elicker’s house. They refused to engage in dialogue with him and called for charges to be dropped against a 29-year-old black man who was arrested and charged with assault on a police officer and fifth-degree larceny following a dispute at Walmart off of Exit 8. Reyes and the mayor have both said that they believe the officers involved in that incident used an appropriate level of force.

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Following through on his promise during a Friday afternoon virtual press conference with the mayor, Reyes (pictured) says in the video that this statement against police brutality comes not just from city police leadership — it comes from the rank and file too.

During the video, he turns to the officers, some of whom are holding signs denouncing police brutality, and says, We stand!” The officers repeat in unison. Against police brutality!” The officers shout the same.

The video ends with Reyes administering the oath of office to the group, which again replies in unison from the front steps of the police department.

I solemnly swear,” they all say at once, that I will faithfully and impartially perform the duties of a law enforcement officer to the best of my ability and according to law, and that I will at all times try to use the power entrusted to me as such officer for the best interest of this city, so help me God.’”

Elicker, who issued his own statement on Friday formally denouncing Floyd’s death, sent out a press release email Saturday commending the chief for the department’s video.


Tensions are high around the nation, Connecticut, and New Haven in the wake of George Floyd’s killing,” the mayor wrote. So many of us feel a collective outrage against instances of police brutality and the death of Mr. Floyd. We all have more work to do to address racism.

Police Chief Reyes and our Police Department have worked hard to develop strong relationships in the community, treat people fairly, and honor their oath to serve New Haven residents. This morning the Department spoke out in the strongest terms against police brutality and challenged other police departments to do the same. Please take a moment to watch this video from the New Haven Police Department and stand with the NHPD against police brutality in our country.”

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