Canadian experts and advocates say the firing and charging of the five Memphis, Tenn., officers who beat a Black man to death during a traffic stop suggests there's been societal progress in holding police to account, but also highlights the need for further institutional change.
Authorities in Memphis, Tenn., released footage on Friday of officers holding Tyre Nichols down and striking him repeatedly as he screamed for his mother. After the beating, officers milled about for several minutes while Nichols lay propped up against a car, then slumped onto the street.
"One of the things that has always given me pause was that the conversations we were having about race and policing were often conversations about individual racial prejudice of police officers, and the way that those prejudices influenced policing," he said. "The firing and laying of charges, and getting that entire sort of criminal justice process started probably helped to allay some of the concerns," he said in an interview.
Fo Niemi, the executive director of the Centre for Research-Action on Race Relations, said Nichols' death illustrates how use of excessive force can undermine public confidence in police departments, and called the CAFC statement "an impressive demonstration of leadership." Niemi said the video footage of Nichols' beating also showcases the need for all officers to wear body cameras, and he is now calling on all departments across Canada to implement them.
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