NAACP Statement on Resignation of McKinney Police Officer Eric Casebolt

BALTIMORE, Md. — The police officer who was videotaped slamming a teenage girl to the ground and raising his gun towards others during an incident at a Texas pool has resigned. Cpl. Eric Casebolt’s resignation comes a day after hundreds of protesters marched near the pool in McKinney, Texas where the incident occurred last weekend.

From Cornell William Brooks, NAACP President & CEO:
“The children and families of McKinney, Texas deserve a police department that is committed to stopping crime and preserving justice, not a department that tolerates the use of excessive force. To protect any community, law enforcement officials must respect that community.  The resignation of Cpl. Eric Casebolt is a good first step, but hardly the last. The NAACP will continue working with community members and law enforcement to ensure that no one, especially the young people of McKinney, are ever again the victims of excessive force, racial profiling and police brutality. We join the community in wrapping our arms around these young people as they heal from the physical and mental scars this incident may have caused. They are our future, and their lives matter.”

On Monday, June 8th, NAACP leaders from Texas, including Garland Branch President Ricky McNeal, NAACP First Vice President and National Board Member Bob Lydia and Arlington Branch President Alisa Simmons, met with McKinney Police Department Chief Greg Conley.  The meeting was called to discuss the concerns McKinney residents have about the aggressive police actions recently demonstrated against minors at a local pool party. During the two-hour meeting, the NAACP made several requests on the community’s behalf.

The primary outcomes of the meeting were:

·        The NAACP has asked the families of the children involved to contact our local office and let us know how we can work with the city and police department to thoroughly investigate this incident and provide support.
·        The McKinney Police Department informed the NAACP that the investigation would take approximately two weeks to complete. We believe a true and independent investigation will produce an equitable outcome.
·        The NAACP has asked that the McKinney Police Department honestly and seriously engages with communities of color in McKinney.
·        The NAACP requested both the 911 audio files and police report of the incident. We have filed an Open Records request.
·        The NAACP has asked that the evaluations files and psychological exam of the officers involved be made public.

The NAACP looks forward to continuing to work with the families of the young people in the “pool Incident video” as well as faith leaders, activists and the McKinney Police Department to bring this situation to a justified end.  Additionally, we encourage any and all community members to attend the next City Council meeting on Tuesday, July 16 to express their concern about this incident.