SPOKANE, Wash. - Mayor Nadine Woodward and Police Chief Craig Meidl have issued a statement regarding the death of Tyre Nichols and the charging of five former Memphis police officers, promising to learn from the incident.
"Please know that as Mayor and Police Chief we are paying attention, we are listening, we are learning. The Spokane Police Department (SPD) has spent several years learning how to better approach volatile situations, how to use words and context to interpret actions and avoid or de-escalate confrontations," said Mayor Nadine Woodward.
The statement goes on to say how SPD is continuously evolving using the best practices to help those in crisis specifically focusing on the human aspect of the job. They try to look at each situation from the perspective of those who call for help.
Woodward ended the statement saying, "What happened to Tyre Nichols was inhumane and something no police department can tolerate. Spokane is committed to ensuring we are utilizing the best training, equipment and tactics to ensure our employees engage with professionalism, integrity and compassion."