Photo by Janet Sutton / Neuse News

On Tuesday afternoon Kinston Police Chief Tim Dilday issued the following statement:

“A message from your Police Chief:

“I would like to express my appreciation to this community for coming together to peaceably assemble in protest of the vile actions which led to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Through this tragic time, officers of the Kinston Police Department continue to provide services to our community every hour of the day. We pledge to serve our community, to safeguard lives and property, and to preserve order all while respecting the constitutional rights of everyone to liberty, equality and justice.

“As we move forward and escape current COVID-19 restrictions, you will see your police officers delve into community outreach efforts. We will be back in our elementary schools, middle school, and high school where we work diligently to build relationships and to inspire the police officers of tomorrow.
We will continue our work with community leaders in the area of juvenile justice reform to ensure that our children are able to receive the support and services that they need from all aspects of our community and do not receive unnecessary labeling which could follow them for a lifetime.

“If there is one thing that has become glaringly apparent to me as I continue to speak to many members of our community, it is that everyone has a voice and those voices deserve to be heard. In an effort to provide an outlet for those voices to be heard by your police department, we will begin sessions throughout our community with regularity where anyone with comments or concerns is encouraged to meet with me and our staff for real and honest communication.

“Help us help you keep Kinston Strong.”

Tim Dilday