Tennessee POST Commission Recommends Decertification of Three Former Memphis Police Officers Involved in Tyre Nichols’ Death

A Tennessee commission has recommended that three former Memphis police officers involved in the death of Tyre Nichols be decertified from working in law enforcement in the state. The Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission, which is responsible for training and enforcing standards for all local police departments in the state, on Friday approved and stamped the recommendation of decertification Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith.

The Memphis Police Department has requested the decertification of the three officers, as well as a fourth former officer, Desmond Mills Jr., who was also charged in the case. The fifth former officer, Eric Kelly, was not included in the request for decertification.

The decertification means that the former officers cannot work as law enforcement officers again in Tennessee. The former officers have 30 days to appeal the decision.

The POST Commission held a procedural vote on the matter on Friday. The commission voted to decertify the three officers during a meeting Friday morning.

The five former officers were fired in connection with a traffic stop that led to the death of Tyre Nichols. The officers were charged with murder in Nichols’ death following a police beating.

The POST Commission will continue to review the case and will determine if any further action is necessary.