Key takeaways:
- The former officer described the “proactive” approach of the ex-officer as someone who thought, if you didn’t go after the bad guys aggressively you were not doing your job as a police officer.
- The former officer expressed shock at the situation, saying “I never thought this would happen.”
- The Memphis Police Department is currently conducting an internal investigation into the incident.
Memphis, Tennessee – A former veteran Memphis city police officer has spoken to CBS News about the five ex-officers charged in the case of Tyre Nichols’ violent arrest. The officer, who recently left the department after 10 years, spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.
The officer described the “proactive” approach of the ex-officer as someone who thought, if you didn’t go after the bad guys aggressively you were not doing your job as a police officer. This was the mindset of the so-called SCORPION unit, a new anti-violence unit created by the Memphis Police Department in November 2021.
The former officer said he knew each of the charged ex-officers and worked closely at times with one of them, Demetrius Haley. Shelby County, Tennessee, District Attorney Steve Mulroy confirmed Thursday that officers from Scorpion were among those responsible in the alleged beating death of Tyre Nichols after a Jan. 7 traffic stop.
The former officer expressed shock at the situation, saying “I never thought this would happen.” He also noted that the city’s murder rate was soaring and residents were clamoring for action when the SCORPION unit was created.
The Memphis Police Department is currently conducting an internal investigation into the incident. No further details have been released at this time.
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