The Memphis Police department announced Saturday that the controversial SCORPION unit has been permanently deactivated on the heels of overnight protests in the city and across the nation.
“It is imperative that we, the Memphis Police Department, take proactive steps in the healing process for all impacted,” the statement said.
The Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods – a 40-member squad assembled in October 2021 by Memphis Police Department Chief “C.J.” Cerelyn Davis and Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland, a Democrat – is described as an elite crime-fighting unit.
“The officers currently assigned to the unit agree unreservedly with this next step,” the MPD statement said.
The move comes at the request of the family of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols, who officials say was killed by five former Memphis police officers. Those officers, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Justin Smith, Emmitt Martin, and Desmond Mills, Jr. were charged last week with second degree murder.
“Officers claimed that Nichols was stopped on January 7 because they observed him driving recklessly. On Friday, Chief Davis said there was no evidence to support that claim,” The Tennessee Star reported; adding:
The body cam video of the beginning of the incident shows that Nichols was sitting in the drivers seat of his stopped vehicle when one of the five officers approached. Rather than following standard protocol followed in normal traffic stops and asking Nichols for his registration and drivers license, the officer opened the car door, dragged Nichols out of the car, and threw him to the ground. Subsequently, several officers surrounded the prone Nichols, yelling “show us your hands.” None appeared to possess handcuffs and, inexplicably, the officers were unable to subdue Nichols, who subsequently, again inexplicably, was able to evade multiple officers and run away from the first location, only to be chased by multiple officers to another location an estimated 100 yards away where the fatal beating was delivered.
DEVELOPING
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Written by staff reporters at The Tennessee Star.
Photo “MPD Cerelyn Davis” by Memphis Police Department and “Memphis Police Vehicle” by Thomas R Machnitzki CC3.0.
