BALTIMORE — The specialized Memphis police unit responsible for the killing of Tyre Nichols was swiftly disbanded a day after the release of footage showing members savagely beating the Black driver.
The department’s chief, who created the unit in 2021, said it was in the “best interest of all” to shut down SCORPION, which stood for Street Crimes Operations to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods — despite her earlier defense of its work.
The decision by Memphis Police Director Cerelyn “CJ” Davis has done little to tamp down national debate over about similar squads across the country that target violent offenders or guns by sending teams to “hot spot” neighborhoods, employing what critics say are overly aggressive tactics that damage community trust.
