The Memphis Police Division mentioned it has completely deactivated its Scorpion unit following the demise of Tyre Nichols.

“Within the technique of listening intently to the household of Tyre Nichols, group leaders, and the uninvolved officers who’ve executed high quality work of their project, it’s in one of the best curiosity of all to completely deactivate the SCORPION Unit,” the division mentioned in an announcement Saturday.

In line with the assertion, “the officers at present assigned to the unit agree unreservedly with this subsequent step. Whereas the heinous actions of some casts a cloud of dishonor on the title SCORPION, it’s crucial that we, the Memphis Police Division take proactive steps within the therapeutic course of for all impacted.”

The information got here at some point after authorities launched video exhibiting 5 Memphis officers punching and kicking Nichols throughout a Jan. 7 visitors cease. Nichols, 29, died three days later, on Jan. 10.

All 5 of the officers had been members of Scorpion, which stands for Avenue Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods. The vaunted anti-violence unit launched in November 2021 when town’s homicide price was hovering and the group was calling for motion.

Benjamin Crump and Antonio Romanucci, attorneys for Nichols’ household, mentioned in an announcement that eliminating the unit was however one step in realizing justice.

“The Nichols household and their authorized crew discover the choice to completely disband this unit to be each applicable and proportional to the tragic demise of Tyre Nichols, and in addition a good and simply resolution for all residents of Memphis,” they mentioned in a joint assertion on Saturday.

“We hope that different cities take comparable motion with their saturation police items,” the duo mentioned.

The Memphis unit was composed of 4 groups of officers whose main focus, according to the department, was to cut back violent crime “and the saturation of sizzling spot areas all through town.” Mayor Jim Strickland promoted the unit as a part of the answer in his January 2022 State of the City speech, touting it as a part of an anti-crime technique that additionally included a gun violence intervention program and more cash for the Police Division.

The mayor mentioned within the unit’s first three months, it had made greater than 566 arrests and seized greater than $103,000 in money and 253 weapons.

The 5 officers — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Justin Smith and Desmond Mills Jr. — had been fired by the police department and charged with second-degree homicide, two counts of official misconduct, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, one rely of official oppression and one rely of aggravated assault.