SOMERSET -- In a press release, Somerset Police Chief George M. McNeil on Monday said he and his department condemn action taken by Minneapolis police officers that ended in George Floyd's death last week.

Floyd, 46, a black man, died after he was arrested in Minneapolis, accused of using a forged $20 bill to pay for goods at a grocery store. The white officer, Derek Chauvin, who pinned a knee to Floyd's neck, has been charged with murder.

“As a department we stand together in denouncing the actions that led to the death of George Floyd last week,” McNeil said in the release. “Police officers everywhere take an oath when they start their careers to protect all citizens without bias or prejudice. This is the most basic of all responsibilities for a police officer, and it is what each member of the Somerset Police Department strives for each and every day."

The methods used in Minneapolis that killed George Floyd are not part of any police training program in Massachusetts, the release states. "Specifically, police are never trained to place a prone suspect on their face or to put pressure on the neck or throat of a person being detained.

"The Somerset Police Department believes in treating all citizens, including those accused of committing a crime, fairly and with dignity. Officers are trained only to use the amount of force necessary to ensure safety for the suspect, the officers, and civilians in the area," the release states.

“The mission statement of our department clearly states that all Somerset police officers will work to preserve and improve the quality of life for all residents and keep the peace through unwavering attention to our duties,” McNeil said. “We believe in the equal treatment of all, and stand with officers across the state, nation and world in condemning any action that violates this most basic of public safety principles.”