Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín Lauds Chauvin Verdict

BERKELEY, CA – Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín issued a statement Tuesday addressing the murder conviction of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin.

A Minnesota jury convicted Chauvin of murder and manslaughter for the killing of George Floyd.

Chauvin was captured on video pressing his knee into Floyd’s neck for around 9 ½ minutes. His death sparked protests in support of racial justice throughout the nation.

Arreguín’s message: It’s about time justice arrived for America’s Black community.

“For so many years, justice has been denied when African Americans have died at the hands of law enforcement,” Arreguín’s statement said.

“Today justice has finally been delivered. It is my hope that we can build on this moment and call upon local leaders to act swiftly and meaningfully to build lasting trust between marginalized communities and law enforcement to prevent more senseless violence. Years of over-policing and under-resourcing communities of color have contributed to stark racial disparities in policing and use-of-force incidents.

“This must end. Berkeley’s decisions to end police stops for minor infractions that pose no public safety risk, assign unarmed civilians to enforce traffic codes rather than armed police officers, and have trained crisis-response workers respond to select 911 calls are all aimed at reducing unnecessary — and potentially dangerous — police contacts with the community. Cities around the country, including Minneapolis, are beginning to follow suit recognizing that by allowing police officers to focus on violent crime and individuals posing imminent public safety risks, we can promote public safety while taking steps to end unnecessary police interventions that can have tragic consequences."