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Kristin Graziano Statement on Sheriff Al Cannon
Kristin Graziano, candidate for Charleston County sheriff, released the following statement on Sheriff Al Cannon’s record on law enforcement and the current unrest:
“I have watched in disbelief and great sadness as law enforcement across the country and here in Charleston are using aggressive and provoking tactics against largely peaceful protests. It sends the wrong message to the community. These combative tactics are just a symptom to the larger issue, which started the protests in the first place. We need to take advantage of this moment to produce real, tangible reform in law enforcement.
As the next sheriff of Charleston County, I will do everything in my power to reform law enforcement. I have spent my entire career — 32 years — trying to rebuild the bonds that so many officers before me have unjustly broken. It’s time for Sheriff Al Cannon to step aside and retire his tired strong-arm tactics. While his heavy handedness is appreciated by Donald Trump, it is also indicative that he is incapable of doing what is right, what is just, and what is fair. His expertise in times of moral crisis is duly noted. Cannon has had three decades to examine policing practices, and he still refuses to look in the mirror because he clearly doesn’t see a problem.
Now is not the time to lead with a gun, a baton, or tear gas. This moment calls for leadership from the heart and soul.”