A NEW CHIEF OF POLICE MONDAY.
SHON BARNES TAKES THE HELM AFTER
MIKE KOVAL ANNOUNCED MISS
IMMEDIATE DEPARTURES MORE THAN A
YEAR AGO.
THE NEW CHIEF IS ENERGIZED ABOUT
THE POSITION AND TAKES OVER
DURING HISTORICALLY CHALLENGING
TIMES.
>> YOU THINK ABOUT 2020.
WE'RE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF A
GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
WE STILL HAVE AMERICAN CITIZENS
AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND
VISITORS WHO ARE IN OUR COUNTRY
DYING EVERY DAY FROM THIS VIRUS
THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET A
HANDLE OF.
OFFICERS STILL HAVE TO GO OUT
AND KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE, DO
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PREVENT
CRIME IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THAT.
IN ADDITION, WE'RE NOW SEEING
POLICE OFFICERS DO THINGS EVERY
DAY ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT MAKE US
SCRATCH OUR HEADS OR THAT EVEN
SHOCK OUR CONSCIENCE.
I THINK THE INCIDENT IN
MINNESOTA, IT SHOCKED EVERYONE'S
CONSCIENCE.
THERE WERE POLICE OFFICERS WHO
WERE JUST AS UPSET ABOUT THAT AS
COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
SO IT'S AN UNPRECEDENTED TIME IN
OUR COUNTRY.
ADDED TO THAT, ALMOST THIS
NATIONAL SENTIMENT OF DIVISION.
AND SO I THINK IT'S TIME -- I
THINK THE COUNTRY IS READY TO
MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY
I'M ENERGIZED ABOUT THIS
POSITION.
THE COUNTRY IS READY TO MOVE
FORWARD TOGETHER AS A COUNTRY.
I THINK WE HAVE SEEN THAT WHEN
OUR DIVISION ISN'T HEALTHY, IT
DOESN'T BENEFIT ANYONE.
AND SO THE SAME THING CAN BE
SAID ABOUT EVERY POLICE
DEPARTMENT AND EVERY COMMUNITY
MEMBER.
I THINK OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS --
YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T WANT TO
PROTEST JUST AS MUCH AS
OFFICERS, YOU KNOW, DON'T WANT
TO HAVE TO MANAGE PROTESTS.
THEY DON'T WANT TO PROTEST.
THEY WANT TO LIVE IN A COMMUNITY
WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE TO.
AND THAT'S DIFFICULT CONSIDERING
THE