Like many of us around our nation, the Citizens Police Oversight Commission watched the recently released video of five Memphis Police Officers who tased, terrorized and beat Tyre Nichols so severely, nearly all of them were winded by the time they were done. In the midst of this horrific beating, Tyre, exactly like George Floyd, heartbreakingly called out for his mother. The video evidence is clear, and the Memphis DA and Police quickly concluded that Tyre Nichols was murdered.
The murder of George Floyd galvanized a nation and after, many jurisdictions enacted new legislation. People across the country protested, cried, and screamed, while police forces vowed to be better. We all made promises hold each other accountable and we vowed to never repeat the same mistakes. While progress has been made, communities of color view these events and live through them like a never-ending version of “Groundhog Day”. Black and brown bodies are brutalized by law enforcement, everyone sends thoughts and prayers, we point to policies already in place or come up with new policies that are supposed to train and retrain our Officers. Lather, Rinse and Repeat. While we applaud the quick and decisive action taken by Police Chief Cerelyn Davis and Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy, Tyre Nichols murder highlights the need for all jurisdictions to have disciplined, professional, and empowered oversight. Half measures will not suffice. Some may attempt to place this incident squarely on the shoulders of the five Officers charged in this case, but that absolves our Police Departments from providing spaces where these kinds of Officers survive and thrive.
The Citizens Police Oversight Commission offers condolences to Rowvaughn and Rodney Wells and Tyre’s entire family. As we all continue to process these events and as new details emerge, we urge all community members to use their shared grief as fuel to continue to work towards creating a world we can all safely call home.
CPOC encourages all residents to contact CPOC with any questions or concerns. Inquiries can be made through CPOC’s website https://www.phila.gov/departments/citizens-police-oversight-commission/ or by phone, at (215) 685-0891.