Dear Resident,
Over the past few weeks, we as a community, state, and country have seen the shocking video of a Minneapolis Police officer's actions surrounding the tragic death of George Floyd. In my 23 years in law enforcement, I have seen the constant evolution in the profession. As leaders in the organization, it our responsibility to make positive changes, to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community we swore to protect. This incident has set us back, which upsets all of us in the law enforcement community. I cannot condone this officer's actions or the other officers who allowed this to occur, as we all have a duty to act when other officer's actions are not acceptable.
I want to reassure the Bridgewater community that our Supervisors and Officers are professionals. I know that these Supervisors and Officers have the ability and the integrity to handle any situation both as trained professionals and human beings. Bridgewater Police Officers will continue to be effective leaders in the community and rise to the standards you expect from us.
Bridgewater Police Department is always striving to improve law enforcement training for all personnel in the agency, hold officers accountable for their actions, and be transparent with the public. Those are the promises we make to you.
We all need to come together to make things better. This year has been tough on everyone. We at the Bridgewater Police Department share the same pain as our community and nation. We are here for our community and will be here to represent our township with pride and professionalism.
Sincerely,
Paul Payne
Acting Chief, Bridgewater Township Police Department
*Mayor Matthew Moench, the Township Council and the Township Administration share the sentiments of Acting Chief Payne. We have confidence in our community and our Police Department that we will move forward in a constructive and meaningful way.
Comments