It shouldn't have taken Tyre Nichols's brutal killing by Memphis cops to revive talk about police reform, but that's where we seem to be. However, after all too many such tragedies, it's going to require actual reform to avoid more such incidents in the future.
In 2020, it looked like years of discussions about paramilitary law enforcement, biased cops, and over-policing would finally bear fruit. George Floyd's murder by a Minneapolis police officer sparked protests, riots, and a movement for change in how cops interact with the public. Some legislation to hold police accountable and ease the weight of the criminal justice system won approval, and a sprinkling of reformist prosecutors were elected to office.
