A Massachusetts police department issued an apology after its social media account shared a post that speculated what would have happened had George Floyd "immediately stood and calmly placed his hands behind his back."
After ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in the death of Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, an officer for the Fall River Police Department accidentally shared a post from the department’s account instead of his or her own.
“Chauvin immediately stood and calmly placed his hands behind his back” following the verdict, read the since-deleted post, the Herald News reported. “Imagine where we’d be if George had done the same.”
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The department issued an apology Wednesday, though it did not name the officer who shared the post, and if he or she will be subject to disciplinary action.
“It is with regret that the Fall River Police Department's Facebook page was accessed by personnel who inadvertently re-posted an opinion that was meant for their own personal account,” the post read. “The posting in no way represents the opinion of the Chief of Police or the Fall River Police Department. We will continue our commitment toward transparency and building relationships with our community.”
Fall River Police Chief Jeffrey Cardoza is “disappointed” and “not happy” with the post, he said, calling it “inappropriate” in an interview with the Fall River Reporter.
The department will “thoroughly investigate and address this incident, up to and including disciplinary action," he said in a subsequent statement.
“Today’s posting in no way reflects the beliefs of this organization,” he added. “I am personally disappointed these attitudes exist. Through training, we have been and will continue to ensure our staff practices fair and impartial policing.”
The post demonstrates an incompatible view for a police officer who is supposed to serve and protect, said Mayor Paul Coogan.
“While the Fall River Police Department is full of great men and women who care deeply for our community, there is no place in the FRPD for an opinion like that shared today,” he said. “The post, despite being intended for a personal page, contains beliefs completely incompatible with my hopes for the Fall River Police Department.”
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The mayor and Cardoza have “been diligently working to change the culture of the Fall River Police Department," he said, and "will personally be following up with the Chief to address lingering opinions like those shared today.”
Floyd's death, which occurred May 25, 2020, and the video that captured his final breaths and helped the prosecution, sparked protests and riots nationwide over police brutality. There has been a push for police reform, or the defunding of departments, since Floyd's murder.
