Rochester Police Chief La’Ron Singletary issued the following statement:
I have been advised that multiple media outlets have requested a statement from me in regards to
the events that have transpired this past Memorial Day weekend.
First, I would like to recognize the men and women of the Rochester Police Department (RPD) for
their hard work over the holiday weekend as was reflective of the numerous emails received praising
the work of RPD Officers. Whether it was at Charlotte Beach, or in the neighborhoods, each of the
officers did their job, and they did that job well.
While it was a busy weekend, there are no excuses for the nonsensical spate of behavior that some
exhibited in our community. The fights and the disruptive behavior that occurred are intolerable in
nature and those involved should be embarrassed of the behavior exhibited.
Laws serve as a guide to direct the behavior of individuals in our society, with consequences for
those who do not abide by the law. It is an individual choice to exercise decent behavior and
unfortunately over the weekend, we saw many examples of those who chose not to do so.
RPD will continue to take a stand on intolerable behavior exhibited by those in our community, as
is evidenced by the arrests made and summons issued during this past weekend. Arrests and
citations alone will not solve this problem. It is also up to individuals to decide to act in a manner
consistent with the values of our society.