Press release
The City of Batavia stands in deep sadness and grief over the action of
officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota resulting in the death of George Floyd.
We have also been saddened over recent situations where Americans were murdered, abused, and treated unfairly by members of their community or law enforcement officials.
“I do not condone the use of excessive force by law enforcement officers, and I am proud to say that the City of Batavia promotes a high professional standard at our Police Department, with Officers committed to protect and serve all of our citizens. The City of Batavia police department is
deliberate in their training and certification and take a community policing approach to engage the community and build bridges,” said Martin D. Moore, City of Batavia Manager.
“As always, my office is open. Please contact me if you have any concerns.”
“The actions of the police officers in Minneapolis leading to the death of George Floyd were despicable and unjustified given the information known to me at this time. No individual is above the law, and those that commit crimes, whether civilian, law enforcement or government official,
should be prosecuted to the fullest extent. The City of Batavia Police Department believe wholeheartedly in compassion, understanding and communication with our community and condemn violence of any kind,” said Shawn Heubusch, City of Batavia Police Chief.
The City of Batavia and Officers of the Batavia Police Department stand in solidarity to support meaningful change, however the violence and chaos that has erupted in our region and across America must be stopped. Exploiting meaningful protests is a deplorable act, blurring the lines of what we all seek to achieve.
Batavia has gone through difficult moments, even difficult decades, but is a community built by Americans from all walks of life who worked hard to build a vibrant family oriented city that accepts all people.
“We are willing to listen and have a dialogue with anyone, at any time, to better understand and reach common ground, but we will not allow our community to be a target for violence. The Batavia Police Department is working together with local, state, and federal law enforcement in a
coordinated effort to protect the safety of our community, and are prepared in the case that any individual or group(s) incites violence,” concluded Police Chief Heubusch.