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While many peaceful protests have been held in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis, there have been some opportunists taking advantage of the situation by looting and committing other violent acts.
“These anarchists come to this county at their own peril,” Day wrote on Facebook after some threats were made on social media earlier this week. “This is not de Blasio nor Cuomo territory and there will be no equivocation on action.”
“I can tell you as a former police commander (that) they will be dealt with by our law enforcement professionals swiftly,” he added. “Our law enforcement officers will take any and all necessary steps to protect our community and they will have the full and unwavering support from my office and every elected leader in Rockland.”
A longtime police official, Day said that the charges four law enforcement officers are facing in Minnesota for Floyd’s death “are the direct result of these nationwide protests; speedy action is being taken to see that justice is done.”
“What occurred in Minneapolis was unacceptable,” he said. “As a 20-plus year member of law enforcement who has had command responsibility, I can find no rationale at all for the type of force that was used and for the length of time it was deployed.”
Day said he met virtually with a working group of local religious leaders, law enforcement and other community leaders to discuss concerns about the statement he made earlier in the week.
Among those Day met with were Rockland County Sheriff Lou Falco and South Nyack Chief Dan Wilson, the President of the Police Chief’s Association of Rockland County
“I recognize that this statement, while meant to be reassuring, caused additional fear and anxiety in local communities of color that were already on edge,” Day said in a statement released Thursday, June 4.
“In what can be described as a candid, honest and sincere discussion, I came to better understand this fear and the concerns that exist in our local community and that specific words matter, particularly when viewed through a historical perspective.”
Day called the conversation “an extremely important step towards deepening understanding, developing shared goals, and creating the relationships needed to address the myriad issues we face today both in Rockland and across our nation.
“I want to be abundantly clear on this next point in particular; protesters are not the same as rioters,” he said. “I view protesting to be one of the highest forms of civic participation; it is guaranteed under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and I understand and support that tenet unequivocally.
“Every protest I have witnessed during my many years living in Rockland has been peaceful and respectful, which includes those recently held in Nyack and Nanuet for George Floyd,” Day continued. “I deeply respect the rights of assembly and protest but understand that these protests are only a beginning.”
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