NAACP Statement on McKinney Police Department Incident

The NAACP released the following statement on the McKinney Police Department's excessive use of force against teenagers between the ages of 13 and 16, including a 14 year old girl clad in a bikini, while attending a pool party in McKinney, Texas.

Tomorrow, Dallas/Fort Worth, state and national NAACP leadership will meet with McKinney Police Chief Greg Conley to demand a thorough investigation led by an independent police agency.

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From Cornell William Brooks, NAACP President and CEO:
"I am deeply disturbed by the McKinney Police Department's treatment of these African American teenagers. The excessive force on an unarmed 14-year-old girl clad only in a bikini by an officer wearing a uniform and a gun, was particularly troubling. The NAACP has reached out to the families of these young people and will be advocating on their behalf at our meeting with the Chief of Police tomorrow. These teens appeared to be simply attending a pool party and deserved respectful treatment under the law. We are calling for a full investigation of the McKinney Police Department officers and that they be held accountable to the full extent of the law. We also join the community in wrapping our arms around these young people as they heal from the physical and mental scars this incident may have caused. "

From Gary Bledsoe, Texas State Conference President:
"From what we have seen on the video, the treatment is inhumane and especially since we are talking about teenagers. These are our children. If there is an explanation for this we would like to know what it is."

From Ricky McNeal, President Garland Texas Branch:
"The NAACP is very concerned about what has occurred, and we have arranged meetings with the Police Department to obtain as much information as possible. Tomorrow NAACP leaders, including myself, National Board Member Bob Lydia and NAACP Arlington Branch President Alisa Simmons will meet with MPD Chief Greg Conley."

From Alisa Simmons, President Arlington Texas Branch:
"The fundamental problem is the expectation that many officers have when they look at young African Americans. They expect them to be more violent, more dangerous than any other race and they expect them to engage in criminal behavior."

From Erin Gaddis, Texas Youth and College Division President:
"We will be working as part of the State conference to diligently investigate this matter, and will provide all the assistance we can to the young people in McKinney."