BY CHIEF DINO SGAMBELLONE
Los Alamos Police Department

I am writing to recognize and thank those in attendance at yesterday’s protest for maintaining peace while exercising their right to demonstrate against the tragic events involving the death of George Floyd while in police custody.  While I hesitate to judge any circumstance prior to all the facts being known, in viewing the video it is hard to see how any set of circumstances would justify such a restraint technique.

I want to assure the citizens of Los Alamos that your Police Department receives regular training on all manners of Police/Citizen interaction and all of our policies, including how and when we respond to resistance, are in accordance with the standards set forth by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) through our National Accreditation.  The Los Alamos Police Department has maintained an extremely low Response to Resistance rate for several years and we remain committed to sustaining the trust we have worked so hard to develop within the community.

I am proud to be a member of the Los Alamos Police Department and I thank my co-workers for their compassionate, professional, and respectful service to the community.  I am also thankful to the citizens of Los Alamos and their on-going support of the department.  I know we will continue to work together, promoting the safety and civility for all who choose to live, work, and play in one of the safest communities in the nation.