Muslim American group calls for law enforcement reform at all levels

ANKARA (AA) – The US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO) has called for law enforcement reform at all levels to stop dehumanization of Black people.

The Council released a statement on Tuesday, saying that they welcomed the Memphis police department and local prosecutors’ relatively quick action to dismiss and charge the perpetrating police officers after the death of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols, a Black American man.

“Again, another helpless victim was killed while surrounded by heavily armed men, pleading for mercy and calling out to his mother – whose home was less than one hundred yards away. Again, a group of rogue police officers, after a pretextual traffic stop, dragged a man from his car, and delivered brutal blows, boot kicks, and punches to his body,” the statement said.

“A group of militarized police officers has beaten to death yet another unwell man (Tyre suffered from Crohn’s disease that had reduced his six feet three frame to an emaciated hundred and forty-five pounds), and in the crucial time afterward did not deliver care to him for more than twenty minutes,” it added.

‘Stop pattern of violence’

“Black Americans are calling for strict federal and state legal restraints – or even wholesale apparatus changes – at every level and the ratification of staunchly enforced, scrupulous safeguards for all the public in their policing interactions with the state.

“This means we must create the means to end the far too prevalent culture of aggression and dehumanization of Black people. It matters not whether the offending officers are White, Black, or of other races,” the statement said.

It noted that their group supports efforts to reform laws, policies, training, and departments to stop this pattern of violence and save lives across America.

Nichols died on January 10, three days after being beaten by five police officers during a traffic stop in Memphis in the state of Tennessee.