The City of Laredo firmly believes in the right to peacefully assemble and have your voice heard.
The tragic death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and the death of countless people of color throughout history, has spurred nationwide protests and reignited the dialogue about institutionalized racism and justice in this country.
We send our condolences to the family of Mr. Floyd during these most difficult times.
We are not silent on this issue. Our city leaders have taken progressive approaches to protect the rights and safety of our citizens and have a zero tolerance approach to racism.
Our police force is composed of a highly trained, experienced, and diverse group of men and women who reflect the faces of our citizenry.
The Laredo Police Department has consistently engaged the community residents in a meaningful way that show not only are police officers here to protect them, but that they are also available and within reach so that they can communicate any concerns, make suggestions and network with their police department to make their community safer and more progressive.
Public activities such as Coffee with a Cop, bike rodeos, collaborations with our local university and community college are just a few of the many ways that we invite and open lines of communications with our citizenry to allow them to get to know us and understand the specific issues in our city.
Citizen engagement through our social media channels, which gives alerts and news updates 24-7, and the Laredo PD app which allows citizens the opportunity to participate in the reporting of crimes with complete anonymity, have become meaningful venues of communication.
New technology and continued citizen engagement opportunities are the progressive, proactive paths to better communication and citizen engagement.
All of this is done with the well-being of every citizen in mind and inclusive of new innovative ideas and adopted best practices which make the Laredo Police Departments one of the best police departments in the country.
We welcome this opportunity to have a city-wide discussion about injustices in our community. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, City Hall and all public buildings have been closed to the public since April 14, 2020. Online, phone and drive-thru services remain uninterrupted.
Given the current COVID-19 safety precautions that are in place, anyone can request a virtual meeting with the Mayor, the City Manager, or any elected official by contacting their office and going through the proper channels.
Our city and our employees continue to work for the safety and justice of all Laredoans.
Editor’s Note: The above guest column was written by Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz and Laredo City Manager Robert A. Eads. It appears in The Rio Grande Guardian with the permission of the authors.
Editor’s Note: The main image accompanying the above guest column shows Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz. (Photo credit: I.M. Kero/The Bridge News).
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