Memphis Police ‘Permanently Deactivate’ SCORPION Unit ‘In The Best Interest of All’ After Death of Tyre Nichols
The Memphis Police Department on Saturday announced that the so-called SCORPION Unit (Street Crimes Operations to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods) implicated in the beating and death of Tyre Nichols has been disbanded.
“In the process of listening intently to the family of Tyre Nichols, community leaders, and the uninvolved officers who have done quality work in their assignments, it is in the best interest of all to permanently deactivate the SCORPION Unit,” said police spox Karen Rudolph in a statement on Saturday.
CNN anchor Jim Acosta talked to correspondent Shimon Prokupecz about the “significant news” that comes less than 24 hours after Memphis released video footage in the beating of Nichols by officers with the unit.
“This will be welcome news by, certainly, people in this community,” said Prokupecz, who has been reporting the story from Memphis. “And this is something the family called for yesterday. They came out and they said, we believe that this unit should no longer exist.”
Prokupecz said that, although the police chief has said not to view the whole unit in a “bad light” based on the five fired officers, “if you talk to some people here in the community, they will tell you that they have raised issues and concerns over this unit.”
“So, this will be welcome news for the community, for the family, and really some who have called for further police reforms all across the country, and that police departments should not use these kinds of units to fight crime,” he said.
Here is the statement issued by the Memphis PD.
SCORPION Unit Deactivated
Today, Memphis Police Officers assigned to the SCORPION Unit (Street Crimes Operations to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods) met with Chief Cerelyn ‘C.J.’ Davis to discuss the path forward for the department and the community in the aftermath of the tragic death of Tyre Nichols. In the process of listening intently to the family of Tyre Nichols, community leaders, and the uninvolved officers who have done quality work in their assignments, it is in the best interest of all to permanently deactivate the SCORPION Unit. The officers currently assigned to the unit agree unreservedly with this next step. While the heinous actions of a few casts a cloud of dishonor on the title SCORPION, it is imperative that we, the Memphis Police Department take proactive steps in the healing process for all impacted.
The Memphis Police Department remains committed to serving our community and taking every measure possible to rebuild the trust that has been negatively affected by the death of Mr. Tyre Nichols.
