Tyre Nichols

If I’m ever pulled over for a minor infraction by local police I’m overcome by fear. I get anxious, break into a sweat, and fumble to get my driver’s license.

I am a white female, over 60. If this is how I react, I can only imagine how people with black or brown skin or who are Asian or speak with heavy accents react. Recently I heard a discussion on the news that got me thinking. 

By now most of us have seen the horrific videos of the fatal beating Tyre Nichols received at the hands of five officers. The CBS This Morning co-hosts discussed this recently with Keith Taylor, a former NYPD Assistant Commissioner who is now a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Joining the conversation was Alexis Hoag-Fordjour, co-director of Brooklyn Law School’s Center of Criminal Justice. Ms. Hoag-Fordjour said policing is based upon  “control, subordination, and violence” which have been tried and true methods. 

I’d add intimidation: consider the power those flashing lights have to make you anxious. Professor Taylor focused on the need for “accountability measures” in law enforcement. You all know how dear to my heart accountability is, especially in managerial work systems. So let me do some weaving here.

The officers who stopped Tyre Nichols need to be held accountable. However, I’d propose that the policing work system itself is also in need of accountability. Although we did hear from the Chief, who acted promptly, we've heard nothing from the offending officers’ supervisor. Plenty of others were present watching, in close proximity, and did not intervene. Why? Perhaps we’ll never know. Did they fear being called a “RAT”? Not a member of the team? 

A work system that fosters non accountability also fosters the behaviors we saw displayed in dash and bodycam videos. No person should be beaten like that. Accountable managerial work systems inform everyone who can do what to whom, especially when it comes to co-workers (aka a policing squad) or even those from other agencies. 

Granted, this was policing where officers were carrying weapons. The escalation that occurred from a routine traffic stop should never have happened.I fear officers working within a system that lacks accountable leadership at every level will find another outlet for their aggression.

We need accountable managerial work systems. A proper system holds managers accountable for the outputs of their employees and allows for each employee to be at his or her peak performance. 

Perhaps Tyre Nichols was placed on this earth to heighten all of our awareness. 

Rest In Peace, Tyre.