Chief Art Acevedo on President Trump's message to governors: 'Keep your mouth shut'

Tuesday, June 2, 2020

Chief Art Acevedo to Pres. Trump: 'Keep your mouth shut'

FULL INTERVIEW: "It's time to presidential, not like you're on The Apprentice," Acevedo said in an interview with CNN. "This is not Hollywood. This is real life, and real lives are at risk."

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- President Donald Trump says if governors across the country don't toughen up, he'll call in the military.

It's his latest warning amid violent protests after George Floyd's death in Minneapolis police custody.

"You've got to arrest people, you have to track people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years and you'll never see this stuff again," said Trump. "We're doing it in Washington, D.C. We're going to do something that people haven't seen before."

Now, Houston police chief Art Acevedo is responding to the president.

Monday night, CNN interviewed Acevedo on the president's comments that too many governors were weak.

Ahead of Tuesday's march, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo says community relationships will keep the city safe.

"Let me just say this to the President of the United States on behalf of the police chiefs in this country, please, if you don't have something constructive to say, keep your mouth shut," Acevedo said. "Because you're putting men and women in their early 20s at risk. It's not about dominating, it's about winning hearts and minds."

"We don't want people to confuse kindness with weakness, but we don't want ignorance to ruin what we have here in Houston," Acevedo continued. "It's time to be presidential, not like you're on The Apprentice. This is not Hollywood. This is real life, and real lives are at risk."

You can watch Acevedo's full interview with CNN in the video above.