APD Use of Force Trainer comments on Tyre Nichols video released by Memphis police
A use of force trainer for the Atlanta Police Academy said the body camera video showing what led to Tyre Nichols’ death would likely be used in training classes in the future.
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WSB Tonight’s Courtney Francisco watched parts of the Memphis Police Department’s body camera video with Orrick Curry.
He is a Master Use of Force Trainer for the Atlanta Police Academy and a retired APD officer.
“There’s a lot of tech that went wrong, and it cost him his life,” said Curry.
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“I heard the voice of him crying for his mother, ‘come on guys, you know?’ It’s no words can explain,” said Curry.
Gerald Griggs watched it through the lens of a civil rights attorney who leads Georgia’s NAACP.
“Enough is enough. We’re done dying. It’s time for something to happen,” said Griggs.
“It’s sad watching them physically punch the subject. We don’t teach that nowhere in the academy do we teach punching,” said Curry. “We’re not taught in any kind of way to kick a subject.”
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Curry scratched his head as he said, “Just looking at this, they’re not even doing anything to bring him to the car to give him air and watch: he’s going to roll over just to try to breathe.”
The NAACP has four demands for Georgia lawmakers now.
Mandate all law enforcement officers to wear body cameras
Appoint a special prosecutor to oversee all police-involved deaths
Create a database to track any officer cited for the use of force issues for other departments to search before hiring.
Reverse the law that allows officers to testify in front of Grand Juries
“They should be treated like any other citizen,” said Griggs. “No other citizens sit through the grand jury and gets to hear the evidence against them and give testimony.”
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