As part of its continued coverage, The OBSERVER spoke with Sacramento’s first Black police chief, Daniel Hahn, this week about his response to the protests, his thoughts on George Floyd’s death at the hands of law enforcement and the reform that people in Sacramento and across the country say they won’t stop until they get.

Obviously, George Floyd was a Black man and I’m a Black man, but also the man that’s doing it to him wears a uniform similar to mine; not the same department, but still represents the same thing our uniform represents in terms of law enforcement and supposed to be serving this community and supposed to be acting appropriately.

You saw that same thing more successful in other cities across the country where buildings were burning and officers literally got pulled into the crowd and assaulted.

It’s challenging to let some things go because the people are exercising their rights; yeah they are violating some laws like blocking the streets and things, but we let some of that go so people can express their opinion, but then there’s a time when it goes over that line and now people people’s lives are in danger and they are trying to light up numerous buildings, they just weren’t successful.

Q: You’ve commended your officers for ‘staying strong’ in the face of protests, while having things thrown at them and being spit upon, especially during times of COVID-19.

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