Winston-Salem religious leaders are disputing comments made in court by the Forsyth County District Attorney. They have not changed their position on the white school resource officer who arrested a black female student at Hanes Magnet Middle School.
The leaders want Officer Tyler McCormick fired.
Earlier in the week, District Attorney Jim O'Neil said that the Ministers' Conference of Winston-Salem and Vicinity supported the reinstatement of McCormick. The SRO is currently on administrative duty.
A video posted on social media in October appears to show the officer holding 14-year-old Rockell Baldwin face down on the ground in a parking lot.
Reverend Paul Robeson Ford says race was a factor in the officer's actions.
“But what we do want to state, very clearly, is that this incident with this young sister, reminds us again of the work that we have to do when it comes to understanding how to build appropriate relationships between police and the community,” says Ford.
City officials say body camera footage of the arrest and alleged assault will soon be released.