Special to Iredell Free News

RALEIGH — As many across the nation and in North Carolina express horror at the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, N.C. Public Safety Secretary Erik A. Hooks has determined that now is the appropriate time to take a closer look at state law enforcement agencies’ policies regarding use of force, the duty to intervene and report instances of excessive force.

In a memo issued Monday, Hooks directed his law enforcement leaders to review their existing policies on use of force, de-escalation techniques, arrest procedures, cultural sensitivity training and the investigative process. The State Highway Patrol, Alcohol Law Enforcement, State Capitol Police and Community Corrections are all part of the Department of Public Safety.

“While neither you nor I can undo this tragic event, we can learn from this incident and implement positive, meaningful processes and policies to ensure the officers under our charge are effectively trained to consistently perform their duties in a manner that is both professional and respectful of human life and dignity,” Hooks wrote in a memo.

The secretary also wants to ensure each division has a clear policy articulating a duty to intervene and report any case where an officer may be a witness to what they know to be excessive force or other abuse of a suspect or arrestee.

A copy of the memo may be found HERE.