MEMPHIS, Tenn — On the anniversary of the death of Tyre Nichols, the U.S. Department of Justice released a new guide for law enforcement on the use of specialized units.
Nichols was beaten during a traffic stop on Jan. 7, and died three days later. The beating was caught on video, and one of several violent encounters between police and Black people that sparked protests and renewed debate about police brutality and police reform in the country.
The DOJ commissioned the report in the wake of Nichols’ killing. The five former officers who were charged were part of the so-called SCORPION unit, a crime-suppression team established under Memphis Police Chief CJ Davis, who disbanded after Nichols' beating. A $550 million lawsuit filed by Nichols' mother blames the officers for his death and accuses Davis of "turning a blind eye" to the SCORPION Unit's "aggressive style of policing" even before Nichols' assault.
The DOJ said the guide, ‘Considerations for Specialized Units: A Guide for State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies to Ensure Appropriateness, Effectiveness, and Accountability,’ is meant to help law enforcement across the country assess the “appropriateness of the use of specialized units” and make sure management and oversight follows just policing practices.
“After the tragic death of Tyre Nichols and public scrutiny of the SCORPION unit, we made it a priority at the Justice Department to develop a practical resource for law enforcement and community leaders assessing the use of specialized units in police agencies,” said Associate Attorney General Gupta.
The guide looks at how units are formed, who is selected and who supervises them, how they are managed and held accountable for actions, and how the community engages with them.
“We hope that police chiefs, mayors, and community stakeholders will use the guide when considering whether a specialized unit should be formed to focus on a particular problem, and, if formed, how to ensure proper transparency, oversight, accountability, and evaluation of such units,” said Gupta.
Attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, who represent the Nichols' family, released the following statement on the DOJ's report:
"We, along with the family of Tyre Nichols, are thankful for the diligent work done by the Department of Justice, and specifically Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta, in addressing this matter. We hope this guidance provides police departments with a clear outline of when these specialized units may be appropriate, when they most certainly are not appropriate, and how to properly staff them with officers who will properly execute their explicit duties.
“We hope police departments and chiefs nationwide will strictly adhere to this guidance. The unjustified death of Tyre Nichols and the circumstances surrounding that tragedy will not soon be forgotten. As we work to make this country a safer place for everyone, it is critical that we remember our history and learn from it.”