Following Tyre Nichols’ death, Memphis police have fired a total of six officers.
Memphis, Tennessee witnessed a wave of dismissals and suspensions in its police and fire departments on Friday, as part of the fallout from the violent arrest of Tyre Nichols, who died three days later. Six police officers have now been fired in the wake of the incident, while two former Memphis Fire Department employees have had their emergency medical technician licenses suspended.
The six police officers fired include Preston Hemphill, who was suspended after violating multiple department policies, including rules on the deployment of a stun gun, during the arrest of Nichols on January 7th. Hemphill was also fired for violating personal conduct and truthfulness. Five other officers have already been fired and charged with second-degree murder in the death of Nichols, who was beaten by police after being stopped for a traffic violation. The officers charged with murder, as well as Hemphill, are white, while Nichols was Black.
The two suspended EMTs, Robert Long and JaMichael Sandridge, were fired for failing to render critical care to Nichols. The U.S. Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into the attack, while the Tennessee board suspended the EMT licenses of the two former employees on Friday.
The family of Tyre Nichols, as well as the public, have called for transparency from the Memphis Police Department in the wake of the scandal. Attorneys Benjamin Crump and Anthony Romanucci released a statement expressing their disappointment that the Memphis Police Department had not been more forthcoming about the disciplinary measures taken against Hemphill. The board’s decision regarding the EMTs was based on 19 minutes of surveillance video showing the two employees failing to provide care to Nichols, who was clearly in distress.
The dismissals and suspensions are part of a wider effort to hold first responders accountable for the violence against Tyre Nichols, and come as the Memphis Fire Department investigates multiple violations of policies and protocols. The three fired Fire Department employees, including Michelle Whitaker, violated multiple protocols and were part of the Scorpion unit, which targeted violent crime in high-crime areas. The Memphis Fire Chief, Gina Sweat, has said that the department’s response to the situation did not meet expectations.
In conclusion, the recent dismissals and suspensions in the Memphis Police and Fire departments highlight the ongoing efforts to hold first responders accountable for their actions, as well as the push for transparency from the public and the family of Tyre Nichols. The U.S. Justice Department’s civil rights investigation will likely provide further clarity on the events leading up to the death of Tyre Nichols.
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