Chief Acevedo Release Statement After Louisiana Police Shooting

Once again peace officers and their families have made the ultimate sacrifice in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of our fallen and stricken heroes, their families, colleagues and the community they serve.
 
Sadly, our Nation continues to experience great volatility in community and police relations and in our political discourse. With the state of World and National affairs it is vitally important that we tone down the heated and too often hateful and divisive rhetoric. It is past time for all of us to pause, take a step back and recalibrate.
 
The broad brush with which we frame issues and each other must be discarded and replaced with a commitment to judge all human beings through the prism of individual action and the content of individual character. The truth remains the very vast majority of police officers are honorable professionals who respect and support the diverse communities they serve. Including the right to peaceful protest.
 
It is also true that the vast majority of community activists and protestors support good policing and are only seeking accountability in instances where a peace officer acts in contradiction to their oath of office and sworn duty.
 
This generation of the American police  officer is the best in history and I’m confident they will seize this moment to forge even stronger bonds with the people they serve.
 
Let’s come together and commit to turning down the volume, hold all who fall short accountable, but most importantly, lift up the good among us.