The officers below were there when Tyre Nichols was beaten. Eventually, to death.

Former Memphis police officers. From left: Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills, Jr., and Justin Smith. Shelby County Sheriff’s Office via AP.

They don’t look like Derek Chauvin, do they?

Chauvin’s cold stare was the most accurate representation of how the system kneels on the necks of people like George Floyd. Disturbingly non-violently.

But these guys didn’t kneel on Tyre. They chased and curb stomped him.

Diversifying policing will only have marginal benefits.

About 13% of America’s police force is Black. This is representative of our nation’s overall makeup.

Seeing a Black brother behind a badge doesn’t ease tensions. It raises suspicion.

When the structure of policing rests on protecting private property — which was its origin in the early colonies — we should be considered irrational to believe that it could change with the addition of non-white officers.

Culture wins every time.

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