Audio recordings released on Monday of a phone conversation between a 911 dispatcher and a Minneapolis police supervisor show the dispatcher was concerned with the officer’s actions.
Just stunning. “911 dispatcher was so concerned by police actions, she called for supervisor at George Floyd scene” https://t.co/NP0JDKtxMP
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) June 15, 2020
The audio of the dispatcher, as well as two other witnesses, shows that both the dispatcher and a firefighter on scene were concerned with police conduct, according to the Star Tribune. The dispatcher was allegedly able to see real-time footage of the George Floyd arrest and called for a supervisor to respond. (RELATED: ‘Avoiding A Catastrophe’: Black Lives Matter Protester Helped Carry Injured White Man To Safety)
“I don’t know, you can call me a snitch if you want to but we have the cameras up for (squad) 320’s call, and…I don’t know if they had to use force or not, but they got something out of the back of the squad, and all of them sat on this man, so I don’t know if they needed you or not, but they haven’t said anything to me yet,” the unidentified dispatcher said in the transcript, according to the Star Tribune.
A supervisor responded “Yeah, they haven’t said anything yet…just a takedown, which doesn’t count, but I’ll find out,” per the Star Tribune. Data from the dispatcher shows that the first supervisor to respond to the scene was Sgt. David Pleoger, but he didn’t respond until 37 minutes after officers encountered Floyd. It is unclear if he was the supervisor on the phone with dispatch.
The second audio tape was from the 911 call of a firefighter who came to the scene, according to the Star Tribune.
“Hello, I am on the block of 38th and Chicago and I literally watched police officers not take a pulse and not do anything to save a man, and I am a first responder myself, and I literally have it on video camera,” the unidentified firefighter said, “I just happened to be on a walk so, this dude, this, they (expletive) killed him so…”
The transcript continues to show the firefighter asking to speak with the officer’s supervisor to explain the situation but the line is disconnected, per the Star Tribune. The dispatcher tries to contact the firefighter several times but cannot reach them.
George Floyd died in police custody on May 25 after police responded to a call for a counterfeit $20 bill. Officer Derek Chauvin, who has been charged with second degree murder, held his knee on Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds.