NEW YORK and MEMPHIS (January 24, 2023) – Urban League leaders today extended solidarity and heartfelt sympathy to the family of Tyre Nichols as they pursue justice for his brutal killing at the hands of Memphis police.

National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial and Memphis Urban League President and CEO Tonja Sesley-Fifer commended Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis for her prompt action in firing the officers responsible and for her commitment to an open, independent investigation, but said the department must address the deep flaws in the department’s procedures and culture that the tragedy has revealed.

“Just as the Nichols family must now find a way forward through their grief and loss, our community must find a way forward toward trust and healing,” Sesley-Fifer said. “We will continue to pray for healing and peace as investigators on both the state and federal level continue their work to pursue further justice.”

Morial said that restoring the trust between the police and the communities they serve requires more than simply responding after misconduct is exposed, but preventing misconduct by setting strict expectations and rigorous training.

“We must uproot the culture of police violence from the inside out,” Morial said, pointing to the National Urban League’s 21 Pillars for Redefining Public Safety and Restoring Community Trust as a guideline for reform. “In a departmental culture of integrity, mutual respect, and accountability, use of force is a last resort, not a knee-jerk first response.  If we truly are to honor Tyre Nichols’ memory, we must commit to real and lasting change.”

The Urban League is committed to working with the department to achieve these reforms, the leaders said.