The special law enforcement unit linked to Tyre Nichols’ killing was disbanded in Memphis, but groups similar to it exist in police departments across the country …
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00:00The five officers charged for the killing of Tyree Nichols were members of Memphis Law
00:04Enforcement's special unit called Scorpion, which has now been disbanded.
00:08So what was Scorpion and what does it mean for similar law enforcement groups across the country?
00:12Brute can explain in less than 60 seconds.
00:14Scorpion, short for Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods,
00:18was created in 2021 in response to Memphis's rising violent crimes rate.
00:23The unit faced criticism, however, over law enforcement's use of force.
00:26Attorney Ben Crump has called these types of groups aggressive units that develop
00:30wolfpack misconduct that disproportionately affect black and brown communities across
00:35the country. It's unclear how the most recent police killings will affect these
00:39types of law enforcement groups in the U.S. In 2020, NYC disbanded its anti-crime units,
00:44which were responsible for a disproportionate amount of police shootings.
00:47An agency that investigates racial profiling and biased policing stated that officers in
00:52these units were really some of the worst offenders due to a lack of oversight and accountability.