DOJ Says Memphis Police Officers Violate Black People’s Rights
December 5, 2024
The Memphis Police Department is called to task by the Department of Justice.
A Department of Justice investigation into the Memphis Police Department (MPD) and the City of Memphis, has revealed that both entities have a pattern of violating the rights of city’s Black residents. Specifically, actions police officers have taken against Black people in the city violate the U.S. Constitution and federal law.
The report states that the MPD uses excessive force, and conducts unlawful stops, searches, and arrests. In addition, the police department unlawfully discriminates against Black people when enforcing the law as well as unlawfully discriminating when tending to people with behavioral health disabilities.
“The people of Memphis deserve a police department and city that protects their civil and constitutional rights, garners trust, and keeps them safe,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in a written statement. “…Our investigation also identified troubling policing practices that impact some of Memphis’ most vulnerable residents—its children. We acknowledge Memphis’ cooperation during our investigation and look forward to instituting reforms that will address the harms we identified.”
Memphis is where several police officers beat Tyre Nichols after he was pulled over for reckless driving on Jan. 7, 2023. Video caught five police officers, all members of a crime suppression team called the Scorpion Unit, pummeling Nichols. He died three days later at a local hospital. The five officers were fired for violating police department policies and the unit was disbanded.
In October, three of the former Memphis police officers were convicted of federal witness tampering charges, NBC News reported.
The Justice Department stated that this investigation is separate from its criminal cases against the former MPD police officers for federal crimes related to Nichols’ death.
The department opened this investigation on July 27, 2023. Attorneys and staff in the Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section and the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee conducted it.
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