The following was written by Wellesley Police Chief Jack Pilecki on the tragic death of George Floyd:
The death of George Floyd as a direct result of an individual Minneapolis Police Officer’s action, coupled with the absolute inaction of three other police officers who stood by, is nothing short of disgusting. The tragic act itself, seeing Mr. Floyd plead for air, is reprehensible beyond words. It does not matter that this awful event occurred a thousand miles away in Minnesota. It matters that the most basic and sacred of trusts—that the police department is here to protect and serve the public, was violently and horribly violated. The brutal violation of that sacred trust is something that absolutely shocks my conscious, and should shock all law enforcement officials through-out the country. Police violence towards anyone is illegal and immoral, and should never be tolerated. Abuse of police power absolutely sickens me, and I condemn it.
I have always supported positive, constructive change in law enforcement and in our own department. I will continue to work with the community, town leaders, and our officers to oppose racism and injustice anywhere. The actions of four people in Minneapolis is not, however, a reflection of all police officers nationwide, including our own men and women of the Wellesley Police Department. Wellesley Police Officers, who put their lives on the line every day, treat everyone with the respect and dignity that they deserve. We will continue to work internally with our officers to ensure that Wellesley has a well-trained and professional department that we can all be proud of.
The Wellesley Police Department, as always, will continue to keep our community safe for our residents and visitors.