George Floyd Death 'Vile,' 'Sickening' : Frankfort Chief

FRANKFORT, IL — Frankfort Police Chief John Burica has posted a statement sharing his thoughts on the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Floyd, 46, died Monday after being stopped by Minneapolis police investigating a reported forgery. Video from the scene showed former police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on a handcuffed Floyd's neck as Floyd cried out, saying he couldn't breathe.

Chauvin, 44, was arrested Friday on charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

Burica said he doesn't normally comment on things occurring outside the village.

"However, with the recent incident in Minneapolis, I think it’s important to let our community and the public know that what happened in the situation involving George Floyd is vile, inexcusable and sickening," Burica said on Facebook. "No one deserves to be treated so cruelly and with such disregard for human life. Although I do not have all the facts and I do not know what lead up to the incident, I do know that the outcome of what I saw was not a police tactic or a rational response to that incident or any incident."

Protests have started all over the country, including in Chicago. In Chicago, videos and photos showed protesters clashing with police — and one incident in which some demonstrators formed a circle to protect officers who were seen being dragged by other protesters.

"This incident has affected many as it should. A man has senselessly died, which has resulted in many communities to be in a state of bedlam," Burica said. "These officer’s contempt for this life, is both disheartening and nauseating. Police officers’ jobs are to PROTECT and SERVE their community, and although it is a tough job one must not lose sight of the oath, we all took. We must at times respond to serious threats and danger, however in this video I cannot understand what the threat or danger was for the 8 minutes Mr. Floyd was on the ground with officers watching him take his last breath and not rendering any aid."

Burica said Frankort Police strives to work with the community, the public and all they meet, no matter race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex and sexual orientation.

"We will continue to reach out to our community seeking dialogue and input from ALL of our residents to better understand concerns, feeling and to build positive relationships. We empathize with many who struggle with seeing incidents like this as we struggle with seeing it too," Burica said. "This incident has NO place in policing and will NEVER occur in Frankfort. Occurrences like this tarnish all badges and sets back much of the great work that the MANY good police officers have done."

Burica said officers in Frankfort receive training in areas of cultural diversity, implicit bias and de-escalation critical incident training.

After a night of looting and rioting Saturday, the National Guard has now been deployed to Chicago.

"Governor Pritzker —at my request — has ordered a contingent of the National Guard to maintain a limited presence in support of our police department in order to ensure we don't have a repeat of last night. This wasn't an easy decision. I did it at the request of and in consultation with Supt. Brown. But it surely is the right decision in this moment," Mayor Lightfoot said Sunday morning.

Police Supt. David Brown said he made the early morning request for additional support from the National Guard after it became clear that a peaceful protest became a "synchronized strategy to loot, burn and destroy."