RAPID CITY (AP) – Rapid City police say civilians organizing armed patrols in an attempt to help law enforcement deal with potentially violent protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis will actually hinder officers.
Representatives from the Rapid City Police Department and the Pennington County Sheriff's Office met with several dozen members of the Defend RCPD/Rapid City Facebook group who had gathered outside the Rushmore Mall Monday. Some carried handguns on their belts.
Police Lt. Andy Becker said armed civilians patrolling businesses could actually encourage protesters who had no plans to show up. He said officers don't want anyone trying to do their jobs, the Rapid City Journal reported.
“We need to be able to do our job, to contain the problem and issue, and having folks threatening to take matters into their own hands actually only makes it harder for us to do the job,” he said.
The Police Department said on its social media pages Monday afternoon that it had “found no evidence to substantiate” social media rumors "about out-of-state looters/rioters coming to Rapid City.”
The Facebook group was organized by Kenneth Dirk, 38, of Rapid City. Dirk said he supports peaceful protests, but not the violence that has erupted in some communities.
“That sparks a concern because I don’t want to see that happen here,” he said.
Floyd, who was black, died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck as Floyd struggled to breathe and eventually became motionless. Derek Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. He and three other officers at the scene have been fired.
