On the street corner in south-eastern Memphis where Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old black man, was beaten almost to death by at least five police officers on January 7th, well-wishers have left flowers, teddy bears and a miniature skateboard. It is a relatively modest memorial for a man whose killing has shaken up all of America. On January 27th the Memphis police released four videos showing how Mr Nichols was dragged from his car and, while offering no resistance and trying to comply with shouted demands, was pepper sprayed, kicked and threatened with a taser until he ran away. He was then apparently chased down and caught and beaten more, with the kicks continuing even as he cried out for his mother. Once subdued, cops stood around joking, offering no medical support. He died three days later in hospital. The morning before the video was released, five police officers were charged with second-degree murder; the day after, the “elite” unit to which they belonged, called the “Scorpion unit” (for “Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighbourhoods”), which had been launched only in late 2021, was disbanded.
The speed and certainty with which the authorities in Memphis acted stands in contrast to previous high-profile police killings. That charges were brought before the video was released may have helped to mute protests, by delivering the beginnings of justice. That is owed at least in part to Steve Mulroy, the Shelby county district attorney, a progressive Democrat who was elected last year, defeating a hardline Republican incumbent. “If the previous district attorney were still in office, I believe Memphis would be on fire right now because I don’t think she would have charged anybody,” says Earle Fisher, a Baptist pastor and activist for police reform.
In fact a more traditional response—evasion, lies and inaction—was perhaps only just avoided. A police statement issued while Mr Nichols was still in hospital referred to a…
2023-02-01 16:14:53 Why holding bad police officers to account is so difficult
Article from www.economist.com Ensuring police officers hold professional values and conduct themselves in an ethical manner is essential for safeguarding public trust and maintaining public safety. However, for various reasons, holding bad police officers to account is fraught with difficulty.
In many instances, the challenge is a matter of a lack of evidence. Often those reporting police misconduct lack clear evidence to prove that the officer they are accusing is guilty of wrongdoing. Obtaining irrefutable evidence either through direct observation or through audio or video recordings can be extremely challenging.
Furthermore, when reports of misconduct do make it to court, police officers are often protected by a ‘code of silence’ or ‘blue wall of silence’. This phenomenon, which has been observed in law enforcement settings throughout the world, is an ingrained culture that strongly encourages officers not to report atrocities committed by fellow officers and to support one another no matter what the situation.
Extensive resources are often required in order to bring a successful case against a bad police officer, which in turn requires significant financial investment. It is also often difficult to access specialist personnel such as legal experts, investigators and technology specialists.
Finally, it is important to note that police departments tend to be hierarchical organisations, where the chain of command filters down from on-high. Thus, those at the top of the chain of command can influence how punishing the response is to police misconduct and sometimes fail to take critical action to address bad police officers.
In conclusion, holding bad police officers to account requires resources and a professional attitude that cascades from the top down. Unfortunately, this is often not the reality, thereby making it difficult to successfully hold bad police officers to account.
