Tyre Nichols Death: Westport PD, First Selectwoman 'Appalled'

WESTPORT, CT — The shocking beating death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of five Memphis, Tennessee, police officers has prompted a national outcry for accountability and justice reform, and Westport's Police Chief and First Selectwoman have issued the following statements about the case.

"The Westport Police Department is appalled at the actions of the former Memphis Police Officers and their involvement in the death of Tyre Nichols," said Chief Foti Koskinas. Among the officers charged in the case, is a former Connecticut resident.

"We stand united with the rest of the country in extending our condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Nichols. Our officers are truly committed to treating everyone with fairness, compassion, dignity, and respect."

Koskinas emphasized that "the high level of training received by Westport Police Officers coupled with their professionalism and judgement allows me to confidently say something like this would never happen here."

Additionally, Koskinas publicly thanked the men and women of the Westport Police Department for their daily work in making Westport a safe and inviting community.

"My administration supports Chief Koskinas and the men and women of the Westport Police Department," said First Selectwoman Jen Tooker. "We will continue to provide the resources necessary so our Police Department can maintain their high level of training and professionalism."

The two also said that as a community, Westport echoes the sentiment in the statement made by the Connecticut Police Chief’s Association:

"The brutality suffered by Tyre Nichols at the hands of Memphis police officers is incomprehensible. We share the outrage of Mr. Nichols’ family, the Memphis community, and the country. The actions of the officers, and equally as disturbing, the inaction of others, is inexcusable and an insult to the work of hundreds of thousands of police officers who do their jobs to the best of their abilities in service to their communities each and every day. Professional police officers know that treating every person with dignity, respect, and compassion regardless of their creed, color, gender, ethnicity, or any of the countless ways that people self-identify is fundamental to our role in society. Our thoughts go out to Mr. Nichols’ family, his friends, and the greater Memphis community.

"The Connecticut Police Chiefs Association is committed to providing the highest level of professional police service to Connecticut’s many stakeholders. We are proud of the men and women that we lead and believe wholeheartedly that they share our vision of public safety and the preservation of life. We pledge that we will remain committed to working with our communities to build organizations that provide safe, equitable, and respectful police services to everyone."