Sacramento Police have been overloaded with protests since the shooting death of unarmed Stephon Clark. Protests that have shut down freeways, protests that have delayed NBA games, protests that have disrupted city council meetings. Typically, demonstrations of this size and attention garner arrests and incite violence. Luckily, only two participants have been arrested.
“It’s really critical during those times to maintain our professionalism,” said Sacramento police Sgt. Vance Chandler, a department spokesman and 12-year veteran of the SWAT team who has seen several protests.
“We are a police department that makes professionalism a top priority, and we also know that when people are upset, and tensions are high people want a reaction from us."
“And we realize that it’s important to keep our composure, because a reaction from us in a negative way will not be favorable for our police department and our community … We don’t want to incite a hostile crowd further.”
Read accounts from more police at The Sacramento Bee