Police unit involved in fatal U.S bashing disbanded

MEMPHIS, JAN 29

(AGENCIES): Memphis police on Saturday permanently deactivated the unit of the five officers who fatally beat a young Black man, the latest instance of police brutality to elicit nationwide calls for reform, reports AFP.

The shocking death of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols has reopened anguished debate across the United States about officer violence, particularly after promises of reform swept the country following the death of another Black man, George Floyd, in 2020.

The five officers, who were also Black, had belonged to Memphis’ Scorpion unit, which was launched in November 2021 with the intent of reducing illegal activity in crime hotspots, including by blanketing those areas with more officers.

But on Saturday, the MPD said in a statement it was “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,” it added.