City Of Police Hits At Criticism

Chief Of Police Hits At Criticism

Ann Arbor Police Chief Roland J. Gainsley today struck at what he termed "unfair and unjust" criticism of his officers by civil rights groups.

In a statement issued this morning the chief said An Arbor Police Department personnel are in "strong agreement with the American concept of equality."

"We support that concept actively but we often do not agree with the methods currently being employed by a few organizations, " Cheif Gainsely said. 

"A police force is always a convenient target of attack," he observed, contending, however, that police in Ann Arbor have always been a credit to the city.

"We are charged with upholding the law," the chief's statement said. "We do not abuse it. We do not ignore individual rights. We protect them."

Calling the record of his department an "excellent" one, he said he resented having his officers "criticized unfairly or unjustly without response." 

The chief noted that the door of his office "is always open" to persons who believe a mistake has been made concerning rights. He said he would not hesitate to order disciplinary action in cases of proven misbehavior by officers.

"We as police officers have confidence in our community," the statement concluded. "We pray that our community will have confidence in us."