Police Across United States Quitting: Is it Due to Public Pressure?

The death of George Floyd on May 25 as put a spotlight on the criminal justice system in America and it has become the country's topic with thousands of people calling for changes within the policing system.

Black Lives Matter protesters have called on the politicians to hold police officers accountable for excessive use of force and the killings of men and women in the black community, they are also calling for police departments to be defunded and to allocate the rest of the budget to the community programs.

A lot of politicians have responded, with some signing orders changing how police departments operate and are promising to reform and act quickly on incidents of police brutality. However, some police departments in the country are facing their own problems as numerous police officers have decided to quit the force.

Minneapolis

Seven police officers have resigned from the police department in Minneapolis since the start of the protest that was sparked by the death of George Floyd. More than half a dozen police officers are in the process of quitting the force, according to a city spokesperson.

What prompted the Minneapolis police officers to quit was their condemnation towards the actions of ex-officer Derek Chauvin, who killed George Floyd by pressing his knee on his neck for almost nine minutes. In an open letter that they sent to the department last week, the officers stated that Derek Chauvin failed as a human and has stripped Floyd of his dignity and life.

They insisted that what the public saw is not what the police force is about, they also stated that they are not the union nor the administration. Around 14 police officers signed the letter.

Also Read: Transcript of 911 Dispatcher Report on How George Floyd Was Murdered Released

Atlanta

Atlanta, Georgia, quickly became the epicenter of the Black Lives Matter protest after a police officer shot and killed a black man, Rayshard Brooks, who was sleeping in his car at a parking lot.

The police chief stepped down and the police officer the 27-year-old victim was immediately fired. The second police officer at the scene was placed on administrative duty. Since the incident, eight police officers have resigned from the Atlanta police department.

Before the killing of Rayshard Brooks, the Atlanta police department was already under fire after the violent handling of two black college students. The two students were in their car when the officers forcefully dragged them out and arrested them even though there were not part of the protest and they were a minute late on the curfew of 8 p.m

South Florida

In South Florida, 10 police officers resigned from the SWAT unit of the city. The officers were concerned about their safety and they stated that they feel restrained by the politicization of their tactics. The officers sent a letter to Sonia Quinones, the police chief of Hallandale Beach.

The officers claim that they were under-trained, minimally equipped and their tactics were restrained. They also expressed their displeasure after the command staff took a knee with the protesters on June 15.

Buffalo

In Buffalo, New York, around 60 police officers resigned from the emergency response team of the police force after two police officers were suspended.

The two police officers were caught on camera pushing an elderly protester to the ground, causing him to crack his skull and bleed on the pavement. Martin Gugino, the 75-year-old protester, is now in a stable condition but is unable to walk.

According to John Evans, the president of the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association, the police officers resigned because they were disgusted by how two of their members were treated, stating that the two officers were just executing orders.