As part of its ongoing commitment to transparency and accountability, the Fredericksburg Police Department is releasing a preliminary report of police response to demonstrations that occurred May 31st through June 2nd. Chief Brian Layton elected to share the report with the community as part of the department’s ongoing efforts to maintain transparency and communication, while emphasizing its dedication to the safety and security of all.
“I’m proud to tell you the employees of the Fredericksburg Police Department performed very well under very difficult circumstances and conditions. These were new experiences for us so we have learned a lot as an agency in the last two months. We hold ourselves to the highest standard and I am extremely grateful to have a group of law enforcement professionals that care immensely about their community and report to duty every day with a sense of responsibility that is indescribable,” said Chief Layton.
“I want to thank our police department for their steadfast commitment to transparency and ethical policing. Chief Layton and his team of officers serve and protect our City every day and this report shows that they are committed to responsible policing,” said Mayor Mary Katherine Greenlaw.
The preliminary report as well as body-camera footage, incident reports, 911 calls, and other information collected over the two-month-long internal review will then be given to the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) for a thorough third-party review. PERF has committed to completing its work in six to eight months after the date it begins. They also plan to be in the City of Fredericksburg for initial community engagement on August 25th to 27th.
To read the full preliminary report, click here.