Former D.C. Police Chief on CNN: If Chauvin Convicted, Police Across Country Will Sigh in Relief ‘Because You Know What Would Happen’ if Not

Former Philadelphia police commissioner and former D.C. police chief Charles Ramsey was on CNN Tuesday afternoon after news broke that the jury had reached a verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial. Ramsey said police chiefs and sheriffs will have a “collective sigh of relief” if the jury has found Chauvin guilty on all counts, because “you know what would happen” otherwise.

The panel of guests were discussing the potential outcome and implications with anchors Alisyn Camerota and Victor Blackwell. Camerota introduced Commissioner Ramsey and asked him for his thoughts.

“Well, listen. If it is a conviction, you’ll hear a collective sigh of relief from police chiefs and sheriffs across the country, said Ramsey. “I have spoken to a lot of them and believe me, everyone is holding their breath on this one because you know what would happen should there be an acquittal or even if there’s, you know, one out of the three counts a conviction.”

“The police have to be vigilant all night,” he added, “because regardless of what the outcome is, they’re going to have to be vigilant because you’ve seen even celebrations turn bad. And so they’re going to have to be out there and be alert.”

“But there’s going to be a sigh of relief if this is a conviction, no question about it, he emphasized again.

A few minutes later, Camerota followed up on the former chief’s comments, offer asking exactly what he meant by that.

“Commissioner, just to follow up on what you told us a few minutes ago. When you said that there’s a collective sigh of relief from police chiefs around the country, and you’ve spoken to many of them,” said Camerota. “You don’t — I assume you mean because — if there’s a conviction and because that means to you that there would be less rioting.”

“Well, I mean, listen, that’s a part of it, but it’s just the right thing. I mean, what Derek Chauvin did was so far out of training, out of policy. I mean, he brought discredit upon an entire profession. Everybody, in this profession were impacted by this, and that’s why if there is a conviction, people will be relieved,” he said. “And not just chiefs. I’m talking about the men and women that are out there every day trying to do the job properly, engaged in constitutional policing.”

“Now, I realize we’ve got some people that don’t do that, but this sends a strong message that that kind of activity, that kind of behavior just will not be tolerated,” he continued. “And thank God it won’t be, because we need to make sure that we can put in place the kind of changes that need to be put in place for policing in order to survive in the 21st century. The status quo cannot continue.”

It wasn’t really a walkback, in that he said yes, he means there will be less rioting, but he doesn’t only mean that. And none of it altered his original statement, which was that “you know what would happen” if Chauvin is acquitted or even found guilty on only some counts. Meaning riots.

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