Police in town where Trayvon Martin was killed prepare for possible riots- in Florida and across the COUNTRY- if George Zimmerman is acquitted



Police in Sanford, Florida have prepared a contingency plan for how to deal with possible riots if George Zimmerman is not convicted in the murder of Trayvon Martin.

The police in the Florida town where the 17-year-old was killed last February have been under a great deal of attention following their widely-criticized handling of the case.

Now they are taking a pre-emptive approach as they have started going door-to-door in the area warning residents about possible riots or uprisings should the former neighborhood watch member be acquitted in the murder trial.

Task at hand: The Sanford, Florida police department are preparing for a possible violent reaction should the verdict in the George Zimmerman case end differently than expected

Personal approach: Police chief Cecil Smith, who took over after the previous police chief was fired due to their inaction over the Martin murder, is leading a team going door-to-door to talk to residents about options

According to Sanford Police Chief Cecil Smith, who was promoted after the former police chief resigned amid the Martin shooting scandal, they are more concerned about out-of-towners causing trouble than local residents.

'Our worst fear is that we will have people from outside of the community coming in and stirring up...violence in the community,' Mr Smith told CNN .

The high racial tensions in the area following the shooting- Zimmerman is of Hispanic descent and Martin was African American- prompted fears that a riot could break out similar to those following the beating of Rodney King in Los Angeles in 1992.

'I’m saying that’s a scenario that’s certainly a possibility,' city manager Norton Bonaparte told CNN.

Face in a crowded court: Local pastor Valerie Houston has been a presence in the courtroom (left) so that she can talk to residents after the verdict is handed down



No public officials or police officers would go into the exact details of the plans, but it is clear that they are trying to take a more inter-personal, soft approach to dealing with any possible conflict.

In addition to meeting with residents individually to hear their concerns, pastors have been asked to attend the trial so that they can serve as citizen witnesses within the community after the case comes to a close.

Valerie Houston, a pastor from Sanford, told CNN that when asked by her congregants what she thought of the trial, she said she planned to respond 'that justice has been served'.

'As a pastor and as a leader in this community I will have to. I feel confident with the skills and the God-given ability that I have to articulate- now, will they accept what I say? That will be totally up to them.'

Face in a crowded court: Local pastor Valery Houston has been a presence in the courtroom (left) so that she can talk to residents after the verdict is handed down

Others don't think that the ripple effects from the trial will be limited to Florida, as conservative political commentator and former presidential candidate Pat Buchanan wrote a column for Real Clear Politics about possible riots back in May.

'The public mind has been so poisoned that an acquittal of George Zimmerman could ignite a reaction similar to that, 20 years ago, when the Simi Valley jury acquitted the LAPD cops in the Rodney King beating case,' he wrote even before the trial had begun.

The court had the day off on Thursday because of the national holiday, but the prosecution is expected to rest their case on Friday, the ninth day of the trial.

There is speculation over whether or not Trayvon's mother, Sybrina Fulton, will testify.