It has been a challenging, tragic, and heartbreaking weekend for far too many communities across the United States. The residents of Memphis, Atlanta, and Monterey Park are all confronting the aftermath of their own respective tragedies.

The death of Tyre Nichols, the violent protests in Atlanta, and the mass shooting in Monterey Park have each, in their way, shattered the peace of their communities and left residents angry, grief stricken, and concerned about the path forward.

The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) shares their concerns and is fully committed to ensuring that police executives, and their officers, have the tools necessary to protect their communities. This includes proper training, equipment, and a reassessment of any and all law or regulation that could impact acts of mass violence. At the same time, the IACP remains committed to moving the policing profession forward, by reexamining approaches and policies and ensuring that police agencies are doing all that they can to maintain and enhance trust with their communities.

Moving forward effectively will also require decisive leadership from police executives to ensure that those who use violence and violate the law are held accountable for their actions. Finally, we must also work to ensure that communities, public officials, and others in the criminal justice system and police agencies continue to work together to promote necessary change, uphold the rule of law, and safeguard our communities.