The Commissioners of St. Michaels issue the following statement
The Commissioners of St. Michaels unanimously condemn the actions of the Minneapolis Police that caused the death of one of their citizens, George Floyd. We call on police departments and public safety organizations across the country to adopt policies of inclusion, engagement and most importantly respect for its citizens.
We believe that if police departments across the country adopted the approach to public safety that has been implemented in St. Michaels, MD, this terrible result and others like it could be avoided. Our town’s public safety is led by our Chief Anthony Smith. He has spent his entire adult life in law enforcement, 25 years with the Maryland State police and 14 years with St. Michaels. He believes in and strictly enforces the concept of community policing and he is always vigilant and will not tolerate any form of racism within our police department. He and all of his officers know our residents personally. They work with our youth on a daily basis and as a result have developed a trust within the community. They run programs, such as SMYLE that is funded by the town and its residents, that engage our young people with the police. Arrest or detention is always the last resort. As a result, St. Michaels has one of the lowest records of arrest of many towns in Maryland.
We believe that all police should interact with citizens and visitors at a personal level and that treating everyone with dignity can co-exist with law enforcement.
By Authority of Commissioners of St. Michaels
Town of St. Michaels, 300 Mill Street, P.O. Box 206, St. Michaels, MD 21663
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