Current and former leaders in Irvine and Orange County are reacting after a verdict was reached in the trial of Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd.

On Tuesday, April 20, the jury found Chauvin guilty of all three charges, reaching a verdict just one day after closing arguments concluded.

Despite a global pandemic, Black Lives Matter supporters protested over police brutality, taking over the lawn and street corners in front of Irvine City Hall last June.

Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan was serving on the Irvine City Council at the time and shared her thoughts in Facebook post:

“I wanted to take a moment to pause and reflect on the Derek Chauvin verdict. Earlier today, Chauvin was found guilty on all three charges: second degree unintentional murder, third degree murder, and second degree manslaughter for the death of George Floyd.

I know this is an emotional time for many and has been since last May, as we have awaited for justice to be served. We as a community continue to stand together but know there is more work to be done. Justice begins with accountability.

The City of Irvine and IPD are committed to working in partnership with our community. And our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee is dedicated to making sure Irvine remains an inclusive and safe city that celebrates its diversity.

Nothing can bring back those that are gone, but we can work together to make sure it doesn’t happen again.” — Irvine Mayor Farrah N. Khan

Former Irvine City Council member Melissa Fox, who was a member of the council during the Black Lives Matter protests during the summer, also shared her thoughts on social media:

“Today’s verdict is a significant step toward justice, but we still have much to do to fulfill our Constitutional promise of equal treatment under the law.

Now is the time to work harder than ever to end, once and for all, the murder and mistreatment of black and brown people by the police.

In particular, now is the time to adopt common sense restrictions on the government’s use of force against civilians of every race and ethnic heritage as the best way to counteract the institutional bias and systemic racism against people of color.” – Former Irvine City Council member Melissa Fox

While the trial, nor the death of George Floyd were in close proximity to Irvine, the social reverberations have reached the highest academic institutions, even captivating UC Irvine Chancellor Howard Gillman.

“Today’s outcome is an important step toward accountability for that horrific injustice…The verdict is a step, but it is just one step,” a statement from Gillman read. “There is still so much to do.”

While the Irvine Police Department did not issue a statement at the time of writing, the Santa Ana Police Chief David Valentin issued a statement on behalf of his department via Twitter:

“I appreciate the work of our judicial system and the deliverance of justice in this case. This incident although tragic has helped to bring further attention to the ongoing need to improve and advanced fair and just law-enforcement practices and continue to build trust in our criminal justice system in the communities we serve.

It is our commitment to continuing working towards these goals each and every day. The Santa Ana Police Department remains steadfastly committed to working with all our stakeholders, including community leaders and advocates to improve policing through enhancing trust and transparency.” — Santa Ana Police Chief David Valentin

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