HOUSTON – Houston Police Department Chief Art Acevedo is seeking to honor George Floyd, a Houston native who was killed while in police custody in Minneapolis.
Videos show an officer kneeling on Floyd’s body while other officers assisted and Floyd said he couldn’t breathe.
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Acevedo said he has spoken with Floyd’s family and offered to have HPD to serve as funeral security escort to the family and Floyd’s body.
“If they give us that honor. Because we are bringing him home. We want to be part of that journey,” Acevedo said during a press conference Sunday.
Acevedo said Floyd was well known and well-loved throughout the city, including people on the force.
“We are a homegrown department,” he said. “We are the community. We are proud of that."
Mayor Sylvester Turner said this is an opportunity to bridge the gap between the police and the community.
“You take whatever steps you need to take to reestablish that positive connection,” he said at the news conference.