Mayor Benjamin attending Dallas memorial service Tuesday
July 11, 2016
Benjamin serves as Second Vice President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors
COLUMBIA, SC – Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin will be attending the Dallas memorial service for the five police officers killed in the line of duty last week.
“Losing a first responder is always painful, and it is difficult to imagine what Mayor Rawlings and the City of Dallas are going through right now, but I want to show the support the City of Columbia and I have for their community,” said Mayor Benjamin.“It’s important for us to not only extend our sincerest condolences but also to extend to them love and support during this incredibly difficult time.”
Mayor Benjamin was asked to attend the memorial service as part of his position as second vice president of the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM). Mayor Benjamin, along with Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett and New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu will be in attendance to show their support for Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and the City of Dallas. Mayor Benjamin’s relationship with Mayor Rawlings has spanned over several years, and Mayor Cornett and Mayor Landrieu currently serve as president and vice president of the USCM, respectively.
The memorial service will be held at noon (CST) Tuesday at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. Speakers will include President Obama and former President George W. Bush.
The City of Columbia has emphasized strengthening trust and accountability between the city’s communities and its law enforcement agencies since 2014 when the “Justice for All” initiative was introduced. The initiative outlined several objectives and tactics to increase transparency and build rapport between the police department and the Columbia community.
