Amber Randall
The Philadelphia police chief apologized Thursday afternoon for the “significant role” he believed he played in making the arrest of two black men at a local Starbucks “worse.”
Police Chief Richard Ross walked back previous comments he made during a press conference about the two men arrested after reportedly trying to use the bathroom without paying for an item.
NEW: Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross: "I fully acknowledge that I played a significant role in making worse" incident surrounding Starbucks arrest.
"I should have said the officers acted within the scope of the law, and not that they didn't do anything wrong." pic.twitter.com/vPRZmCSmq3
— ABC News (@ABC) April 19, 2018
“I fully acknowledge that I played a significant role in making worse. For starters, I should have said the officers acted within the scope of the law and not that they didn’t do anything wrong. Words are very important,” he told the media.
Police showed up to the Starbucks last week to arrest Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson, two men who were waiting for a friend for a business meeting. Starbucks heads apologized for the incident and vowed to conduct racial bias training.
Ross and the officers were not aware Starbucks policy usually allows people to sit around for hours, the police chief added.
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