Fellow Rolesville Residents,
I hope everyone had a very restful and enjoyable Memorial Day Weekend. Due to COVID-19, the observance of Memorial Day throughout our country was not celebrated as usual. The new community military recognition banners hung proudly on Granite Falls Boulevard. I invite you to review this special recognition this summer.
As we paid tribute to our fallen heroes last weekend, this weekend reminds us that as a country we have not reached the greatness that we are capable. I saw a few minutes of the horrible and sickening event that took place with the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. I could not stomach to watch the entire eight minute video; just the couple minutes that I watched were enough to convince me this is just wrong. Minnesota has a long history of being a progressive state which should indicate to all of us that if this can happen there, it can happen here. I have confidence that the State of Minnesota will provide justice in this case for Mr. Floyd. The sad fact is that we cannot do anything to bring him back. This event has sparked peaceful protests across the country. Unfortunately, some places the protests have turned to outrage and riots.
As your Mayor, and part of a fellowship of North Carolina Mayors, I signed a letter along with about 70 of my fellow Mayors speaking about the injustice and death of George Floyd. If you look at a map of the cities and towns for these Mayors, you will see it expands our state. This is the letter and the letter has appeared on some media ventures.
North Carolina Mayors’ Statement on the Murder of George Floyd
As mayors of cities in North Carolina, we have come together to express our abhorrence of the horrific murder of George Floyd, an act of unspeakable violence, cold inhumanity, and racism. The photographic evidence of this act speaks for itself. Mr. Floyd was suffocated to death by a Minneapolis police officer while pleading for his life as three other officers knelt or stood by and did nothing to help him, even as he called out, “I can’t breathe.” As a society, we cannot tolerate this kind of police violence rooted in systemic racism. As mayors, we work closely with the police leadership in our cities, and we know that they also will not tolerate this kind of police violence and racism within their forces. Such acts not only harm innocent people, but they also deeply erode trust in our police forces, despite the good work of so many officers every day—officers who themselves abhor the racism and violence so evident in the death of George Floyd. Our hearts go out to Mr. Floyd and his family. We support Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis in his call for justice and accountability. We expect a full and fair trial of the police officers involved. We also support the rights of those who are peacefully protesting and honoring the memory of George Floyd and countless others that have been victims of systemic racism and police violence. Let’s work together to ensure that protests remain peaceful and stay focused on building equitable and just cities for all in North Carolina. And we pledge to make every effort within our power to fight systemic racism within our police forces, cities, and this nation.
I signed this letter with confidence that the Rolesville Town Board will support it. Therefore, I didn’t hesitate to add my name to the list of Mayors. I have received several calls and questions the past couple days in two regards. One question asked about the safety of the public in interactions with our police and the other question was pertaining to our readiness in case of a disturbance in Rolesville. I will share a letter provided by Rolesville Police Chief Soto.
The actions of the Minneapolis police officers are not indicative of what the policing profession represents, and we at the Rolesville Police Department condemn those actions. The actions were without merit, justification, and have shattered community trust towards law enforcement. This is evident by the numerous protests and riots that have occurred throughout the United States.
The Rolesville Police Department and our counterparts have worked tirelessly to ensure that we have incorporated best practices and implemented community policing strategies that emphasize the systematic use of community engagement, partnerships, and problem solving techniques to proactively address conditions that cultivate crime and social disorder.
Mayor Currin and the Rolesville Police Department are cognizant of the fact that there is a large divide between minority communities throughout the United States and the police, which will require all of us to come together in unity to address these disparities. We also recognize the importance of continued dialogue with our stakeholders in the community to foster lines of open communication with our minority residents and business owners. The public can rest assured that we will continue to be a professional organization, who takes pride in our ability to work with all members of the community for the betterment of humanity.
Our hope is that together, we become the model of community action and success, with the vision of one race, the human race.
Orlando Soto, Chief of Police
I am proud of our Police Chief and his department. We had a couple issues prior to Chief Soto’s tenure. Under Chief Soto’s leadership; he has improved our department and the service our police provide to our community. They are here to protect and serve you the citizens of Rolesville and I am confident this can be accomplished in a safe environment. As many of you know, Rolesville has received several Safe City awards which are direct results of the relationships our law enforcement officers have with you, the citizens of Rolesville. I have always been a believer that good can be gained from a bad situation, so let’s take this time to strengthen our relationships and increase our understanding of one another. By coming together, Rolesville will be able reach our true potential as a community.
Sincerely,
Ronnie I. Currin
Rolesville Mayor