The union representing the patrol unit of the Youngstown Police department is taking issue with comments Mayor Tito Brown made at a memorial for George Floyd on May 25, calling them "dangerous" and "hyberpolic." 

At the memorial service, which was held to mark the one-year anniversary of the day Floyd was murdered at the hands of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, Brown spoke about his experiences growing up as a Black male and as a father raising Black children. 

"For us, we've got to worry about, 'are you going to get a ticket? Are they going to tow your car? Are they going to call your parents? Now we've got to worry about 'are we going to be arrested, tried and executed at the curb at the hands of law enforcement?" Brown said at the memorial, a reference to Chauvin's kneeling on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes, leading to his death. 

In a statement issued Friday, YPA president James Rowley called Brown's remarks "divisive," saying that the Youngstown police department has not used deadly force in more than a decade. 

Rowley goes on to say the city is a dangerous place for young Black males, but that it's due to a high incidence of violent crime. 

"Mayor Brown is presiding over some of the deadliest times to be a young black male in this city and his police department is not the cause of that," Rowley wrote. 

Rowley claims the Youngstown police department uses force in only 0.1 percent of cases and those are usually found to be justified. 

He went on to write that he hopes when Brown talks to his children, he reminds them that "it's safer to call the police than to go get a drink at the club," an apparent reference to recent shootings at Utopia and Torch bar in the city over the last two months. 

Rowley wrote that Youngstown police "will continue to be the professional law enforcement organization our community has come to expect. Our men and women are tired of being blanketed by the narrative that they are using excessive force and killing minorities, or anyone for that matter. I honestly believe the members of the Youngstown police department are more in touch with the community than the politicians." 

Reached by phone Friday afternoon, Brown told 21 News his comments were obviously not referring to the Youngstown police, but rather were in reference to George Floyd in particular, as well as other high profile national killings of young black males. 

"The statement I made was in reference to national incidents. As a father of young African-American children, I shouldn't have to worry about them being tried and executed at the curb," Brown said. 

The Mayor said it was clear who he was referring to when he made his comments. 

"They must have missed the Derek Chauvin case. I was speaking about George Floyd and speaking my heart about that incident," Brown said. 

Brown called on the members of his police department to demonstrate their commitment to good police practices by speaking out against any incidents like the Floyd murder. 

"I would like to see those in our law enforcement standing up and speaking out about these incidents and saying they are wrong, instead of criticizing me," Brown said, adding that he routinely praises his own department for the way they handle most matters.

"We lead from the front in this city," Brown said.