A rally for George Floyd was held in Toms River Tuesday, as members of the police department walked with protesters to promote peace and solidarity.

 

"The times of us standing on one side and protesters standing on the other might be coming to an end" says Chief Mitchell Little.

Chief Little was photographed kneeling with protesters during Tuesday's rally.

"It was actually an invitation from the group organizers to come in and pray with them with one of our local ministers to pray for peace for everyone," says Little. “It was a very, very comfortable feeling being with that group."

Officers took pictures with children holding signs that read "stop the violence," hugging protesters, and marching with the message, "We are with you."

"It was about being fair on all sides, and we felt that being with that group,” says Little. "Out of the 150 protesters to me, I think we made 150 more partnerships."

But Little says violence and looting are never the answer.

"We don't want to be portrayed as all cops are bad because a few officers did something horrific, and the same thing is no other group would like to be painted with that broad brush that they're all bad because of a few people doing something bad."

Little also spoke on the death of Floyd.

"There were so many different options that that officer could have taken, that other officers standing around him could have taken," says Little. “It hit all of us when something bad happens like that with a police officer, good officers are affected."