A southwest Mississippi official is apologizing to his city’s police department after saying that people were “being slaughtered and murdered by policemen every day.”

The Enterprise-Journal reports that McComb Selectman Devante Johnson issued a letter of apology Thursday to Police Chief Damian Gatlin and McComb officers.

Johnson says that in the heat of an exchange in a Tuesday city board meeting “some things came out that were not accurate.”

The city board was discussing claims of harassment made by former police detective Shannon Sullivan against Johnson and Selectman Ronnie Brock.

Johnson says his statements were taken out of context and didn’t refer to actions of McComb police. His letter reiterates that point, saying McComb has been “very blessed” to not have any police brutality or officer-involved deaths.