Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina released the following comments regarding the death of George Floyd, of Minnesota, who died in police custody.
George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis is deeply troubling and indefensible, the video revealing a startling lack of humanity by the police officers involved. The U.S. Department of Justice has opened an investigation, and rightly so.
So much of law enforcement’s relationship with the community is built upon trust. We trust the members of our community to follow the law and cooperate with our efforts to enforce it; our community has the right to trust that they will be treated fairly and justly by the officers who serve them.
Here in Burlington County, the law enforcement community is fortunate to have developed a positive relationship with our residents. Our police officers routinely conduct themselves with the utmost professionalism and respect for the members of the communities they serve. This has been particularly apparent over the past few months as our officers have managed the added responsibility of enforcing significant restrictions on our normal activities with sensitivity to the stress that our residents are experiencing in the midst of this public health crisis.
The Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and all of our municipal police chiefs are committed to ensuring that members of our local departments provide fair treatment and justice to all our residents. Anyone who believes they have been victimized by a member of law enforcement as a result of bias or other improper behavior is encouraged to take the matter up with that officer’s chief, or contact the Prosecutor’s Office directly at 609-265-5035, so their complaint can be thoroughly investigated.
