Cobb Police Chief Mike Register said it is his department's policy to treat all citizens "fairly and with respect" in response to a reporter's question about remarks made by President Donald Trump last week.
Trump was criticized by some for seeming to condone police brutality when he told law enforcement officers in Suffolk County, New York, not to be “too nice” while arresting “thugs.”
His comments were met with cheers and applause.
But the backlash in some quarters was swift, with police officials across the country weighing to deride Trump’s remarks as inappropriate, or to emphasize their own commitment to civil rights and due process.
When contacted for comment, Chief Register said that "the policy of Cobb County is to treat every citizen fairly and with respect, to include the citizens we arrest."
Register was hired as police chief in June, shortly after a study found the department was plagued by low staffing and "perceptions of racism" from the community.
Trump’s controversial statement was made during a speech in which he also highlighted the threat posed by the MS-13 gang, which originated in Los Angeles and it known to target immigrants and refugees from Central America.
Sgt. Dana Pierce, the public information officer for the Cobb Police Department, confirmed that MS-13 has been documented in Cobb recently.
“We are not anticipating receiving additional resources or funding from the federal government to combat gang activity in Cobb County (at this time),” Sgt. Pierce wrote. “We do however, work with several Federal Agencies to combat gang crime and violence. Currently all financial resources used to combat criminal street gang activity come from within Cobb County. “
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