January 31, 2023
LANSING, MI - John E. Johnson, Jr., Executive Director of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, has issued the following statement on the brutal beating and death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of officers of the Memphis Police Department.
“Once again, the nation is reeling from the senseless killing of an unarmed Black man at the hands of law enforcement. Tyre Nichols’ family, his community, and the nation deserves answers. But beyond that, we owe it to Mr. Nichols -- and to Patrick Lyoya, Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice, Freddie Gray, George Floyd and too many others to name -- to finally find a way to put a stop to it.”
“It is time for police departments throughout Michigan to reassess their hiring practices, training protocols and systems of law enforcement in light of this unfortunate killing. On the national level, Congress must pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. We call on our Congressional leaders to reintroduce the bill, to seek out and hear the testimony of bereaved families and aggrieved communities, and to pass it into law. No one piece of legislation can solve all the underlying issues of bias in policing that led to the death of Tyre Nichols, but we can be certain that if we do nothing, it will happen again and again.”
The Michigan Department of Civil Rights is charged with investigating and resolving discrimination complaints and works to prevent discrimination through educational programs that promote voluntary compliance with civil rights laws. The Department also provides information and services to businesses on diversity initiatives and equal employment law. For more information on the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, go to www.michigan.gov/mdcr.
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