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The Justice Department found that Memphis Police used too much force and discriminated against Black residents. They have been closely watched since Tyre Nichols died last year. The report mentioned that children, in particular, have had scary and forceful interactions with officers.
Written by Emily Cochrane and Shaila Dewan.
The Justice Department conducted an investigation into the Memphis Police Department and found that they had used too much force, treated Black individuals unfairly compared to white individuals, and mistreated those with mental health issues. The report stated that these civil rights violations had a negative impact.
The report, which was 73 pages long, highlighted how children were treated poorly by officers. It mentioned that an 8-year-old boy with behavioral health problems had multiple negative interactions with officers between December 2021 and August 2023. During these encounters, the boy was threatened, pushed, handcuffed, or thrown by the officers.
The Police Department has been closely examined since January 2023, when officers fatally assaulted Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, after stopping him on his way home from work. The footage from body and street cameras that recorded the incident led to widespread public outrage and accounts from other community members detailing the department’s history of using excessive force.
The Justice Department began looking into potential civil rights violations in the case of Mr. Nichols six months after his death. This investigation, known as a pattern-or-practice inquiry, is distinct from the charges brought against five former Memphis officers by federal and state authorities.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke from the civil rights division of the Justice Department stated that the residents of Memphis should have a Police Department and city that upholds their civil and constitutional rights, builds trust, and ensures their safety. She expressed anticipation for implementing changes to rectify the issues that were discovered.
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