Police Chief Keeven Says Protest Was Peaceful And Well-Attended, Thoughts Heard Loud And Clear

EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville Police Chief Jay Keeven issued a statement on the well-attended protest at the steps of the Madison County Courthouse in Edwardsville on Saturday morning.

"This was a peaceful event, which allowed the voices of those crying out against police use of excessive force and social injustice to be heard loud and clear," Chief Keeven said. "Members of the Edwardsville Police Department support the rights of peaceful protestors and we support the call to end excessive force and social injustice.

"Neither racial prejudice nor biased policing is welcome in our community and certainly not tolerated within our police department. We strive to hire individuals who will perform their duties in a fair and impartial manner, without bias. Our officers are well trained in proper use of force, appropriate restraint tactics, and de-escalation techniques.

"As noted after the protest on Sunday, May 31, 2020, the men and women of our police department will continue to provide respectful, compassionate and professional service to the citizens and visitors of Edwardsville. We will always be there when our community needs us. We love the City of Edwardsville, as we know you do. Our police officers and civilian personnel are proud to be public servants in this community."Chris Rhodes also contributed to this story.

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