LEONARDTOWN, Md. – In light of the recent events surrounding the death of George Floyd, 46 of Minneapolis, a number of protests have popped up across the nation. Even in the backyard of Southern Maryland, people have gathered by the thousands in some cases to protest “racial injustice.”
Most notably, many people watched our live-stream of a protest in Calvert County which started out as a peaceful march that was planned by a pastor, but led to tear gas among other deterrents being used by the sheriff’s office to disperse protesters. By the end of the night, the back windshield of an unmarked police vehicle was broken, and two arrests were made.
More protests have been planned across the region, including one for this evening at the St. Mary’s County Governmental Center which starts at 6 pm, as well as a second one planned for the same location on June 5.
St. Mary’s County Sheriff Tim Cameron has said he was “sickened” when he watched the video of the death of George Floyd.
“It was 8:49 of watching an officer with a callus attitude,” Cameron said. “It was a violation of trust in police and sheriff’s officers. The other officers also had a duty and obligation to step in to stop it.”
He said that he would like his officers to be known as “peace officers versus law enforcement.”
“We learn from our community and we make changes that is in best interest of our community,” Cameron said. [St. Mary’s Officers] wear body cams and have cameras in their car and the officers love the cameras as they do the right thing for the community and keeping the folks in St. Mary’s County safe.”
Cameron lauded his department for the work they do in the county to do the right thing, and making the right call. He cited his cooperation with other entities such as Mayors across the state and even Maryland Governor Larry Hogan[R].
“We are a community-based organization, and we’ve grown out of the ability that can and will change culture,” Cameron explained. “They look at what is changing in the courts and the expectation of community. The St. Mary’s County officers get thousands of hours of training and have a solid foundation with ongoing cutting edge training through out the year.”
He is expecting a peaceful protest tonight at 6 pm in Leonardtown, citing it as “a platform where voices can be heard, changes made and healing can begin.”
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