A sixth Memphis police officer was fired on Friday in connection with the death of Tyre Nichols, a Black motorist who died shortly after a violent traffic stop in January.
Preston Hemphill, hired in 2018, “violated multiple department policies” surrounding personal conduct, truthfulness, the use of stun guns, as well as handling evidence, according to the Memphis Police Department.
The death of Nichols appears to have further eroded public trust in police, according to new research.
When asked this month whether police were adequately trained to avoid excessive uses of force, 60 per cent of respondents to a Washington Post-ABC poll said they were not “very” or “somewhat” confident, while only 39 per cent answered in the affirmative.
That reputation could fall even further, as there’s reportedly up to 20 hours of additional footage from the deadly beating by Memphis police that has yet to be released, according to a law enforcement official in Tennessee.
As state and federal leaders discuss new reforms, President Joe Biden met with leaders from the Congressional Black Caucus on Thursday to consider next steps as the White House is once again faced with an urgent demand for police reform.
