LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — Following the release of body camera footage depicting the deadly beating of Tyre Nichols, Central Pa. police departments are releasing statements.
The Lancaster City Bureau of Police stated they fully stand behind the statement made by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) regarding the death of Nichols.
The IACP statement reads as follows:
The death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of police officers is appalling and indefensible. The brutality suffered by Mr. Nichols and the failure of any of these individuals to intervene is sickening and leaves everyone, including police officers, disgusted, infuriated, and outraged.
Our thoughts go out to Mr. Nichols’ family, his friends, colleagues, and community.
The individuals involved have rightly been fired and criminally charged in the death of Tyre Nichols. There is no excuse for their actions. They have betrayed their oath of office, disgraced the law enforcement profession, and brought shame on the officers across the nation who work selflessly each day to protect their communities.
As police leaders we remain committed to emphasizing dignity and respect for all and instilling within our agencies a fundamental commitment to the preservation of human life. But we must, and will, do more. We must remain committed to working together in partnership with community members, advocacy organizations, elected officials, and others to build a future that ensures dignity, security, and justice for all.
In a statement, The Lancaster City Bureau of Police stated their commitment remains stronger than ever to building trust in the community through accountability, transparency and open communication.
"In recent years, our Bureau has made intentional shifts in policy and practice to better meet this commitment. Notably, the Bureau put into place a new use-of-force policy that led to a demonstrated decline in officer use-of-force incidents," the department said in a statement.
The remaining statement reads as follows:
In addition, we’ve expanded on our community engagement and outreach efforts, trained our officers in both de-escalation and trauma-informed practices, and bolstered recruitment efforts to ensure our Bureau better reflects the community we serve.
Public safety is a partnership between the community and the officers who serve it. Our Bureau is devoted to this partnership and will continue to engage with Lancaster City residents to better understand their experiences, needs, and public safety concerns.
The Lancaster County Chiefs of Police also released a statement regarding Nichols' death.
"The death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of police officers is appalling, indefensible and sickening," the association said in a statement. "Our Association usually doesn't comment on matters outside our area, however, in this instance we couldn't stay silent."
The remaining statement reads as follows:
The individuals involved have justly been fired and criminally charged with the murder of Tyre Nichols. There is no excuse for their actions either individually or collectively. Police brutality, negligence, and the failure to render aid are rejected in each of our departments and communities. These individuals betrayed their oath of office, disgraced the law enforcement profession, and brought shame on officers across the nation who work selflessly each day to protect our communities.
Every officer in Lancaster County has undergone the most up-to-date training through MPOETC on implicit and overt bias, the appropriate use-of-force, modern de-escalation techniques, cultural diversity, and fair and impartial policing. We have promoted “A.B.L.E.” – Active Bystander Training for our leaders and their officers.
The Executive Board and the members of our Association join the overwhelming number of our leaders in disgust regarding what has been reported and will be released in video. Locally, we are committed to continue to sacrifice our safety for our fellow citizens. We join our community with expectations that our officers will always be compassionate, caring, and professional in every encounter.
As police leaders we remain committed to emphasizing dignity and respect for all and instilling within our agencies a fundamental commitment to the preservation of human life. We remain committed to working together in partnership with community members, advocacy organizations, churches, elected officials, and others to build a future that ensures dignity, security, and justice for all.