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Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park on Saturday was the site of a community gathering set in motion by the death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of Memphis police officers in January. The gathering gave our local officials and police chief the opportunity to reflect on the City of Beaufort’s commitment to public safety and our commitment to our community.
City Councilman Mitch Mitchell, who organized the event, opened the gathering and thanked those who attended and spoke, including Beaufort Mayor Stephen Murray and Port Royal Mayor Joe DeVito, Police Chief Dale McDorman and Deputy Chief Stephenie Price. State Rep. Michael Rivers Sr. led the group in prayer, and, as Pastor Theresa Roberts said a closing prayer, those who were there joined hands.
Mayor Murray invoked Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his belief in the possibility of a “beloved community”: “The aftermath of nonviolence is the creation of the beloved community, while the aftermath of violence is tragic bitterness.”
“I hope each of you will leave here today to do our part toward the creation of our ‘beloved community,’” the mayor said.
Police Chief Dale McDorman spoke about the rigorous training all police recruits and existing officers undergo, including an extensive background check, checking social media use, and a polygraph test. Officers undergo extensive de-escalation training and bias training when they are first hired and annually after that.
Any incident that requires any use of force in reviewed at all levels of the department, up to and including the chief.
“We’ve refused to lower our standards,” Chief McDorman said, “even though it takes us longer to hire.”
The Police Department is actively involved in the community as well. Officers attend neighborhood meetings, host “Chill with a Cop” events at least four times a year for families and kids; and distribute food and clothing to famiies in need.
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