The police chief of Galveston, Texas, issued an apology on Monday night after a photograph circulated showing two white officers on horseback leading a black suspect, identified as 43-year-old Donald Neely, in handcuffs down the street with a rope. The image, captured by an onlooker on Saturday, quickly spread on social media, triggering widespread outrage towards the Galveston Police Department.
Many critics highlighted the photo’s symbolism, asserting that it evoked memories of slavery and the historical context of racism and violence perpetrated by whites against black people in the United States. Neely had been arrested on a charge of criminal trespassing, according to the Houston Chronicle.
“First and foremost, I must apologize to Mister Neely for this unnecessary embarrassment,” Vernon L. Hale III, the city’s police chief, stated in a message posted on the department’s Facebook page. “Although this is a trained technique and best practice in some scenarios, I believe our officers showed poor judgment in this instance and could have waited for a transport unit at the location of arrest.”
The Police Department identified the two officers involved as P. Brosch and A. Smith, noting that their body cameras were activated during the incident. Chief Hale’s statement did not specify whether the officers would face disciplinary action.
“My officers did not have any malicious intent at the time of the arrest, but we have immediately changed the policy to prevent the use of this technique and will review all mounted training and procedures for more appropriate methods,” Chief Hale explained. “We understand the negative perception of this action and believe it is most appropriate to cease the use of this technique. The police chief has taken immediate action to suspend this technique of transportation during arrests.”
Leon Phillips, president of the Galveston Coalition for Justice, stated that the individual who took the photo, along with a second image, wished to remain anonymous. He emphasized that the imagery was deeply disturbing for many African-Americans, according to the New York Times.
“Every black person that’s over the age of 30 years old will have a thought of what it used to be like,” Phillips said. “Younger people, they have a tendency to not get emotional about something like this. I get emotional because I came from a segregated time, and people said and did whatever they wanted to.”
Neely is currently free on bond. He does not have a listed telephone number and could not be reached for comment. The incident sparked a wider conversation about police practices and community relations.
Body cameras were activated at the time of the episode. The chief’s statement did not say if the officers faced disciplinary action. Leadership is important in these situations.