The brutal killing of Tyre Nichols by five Memphis police officers resulted in their prompt dismissal and initiation of murder prosecutions against them. Anyone who witnessed footage of the officers’ actions has to be saddened and disgusted.

Unfortunately, the officers’ criminal behavior is not limited to the Memphis Police Department. Time and again, over-aggressive police pursuit of Black youths when even a minor crime is suspected is rampant in many communities. Police “scorpion” procedures (Scorpion is the name of the special unit the Memphis police officers belonged to), too often use unnecessary force. As a result, on many occasions, drastic, and sometimes lethal punishments are inflicted on Black youths without any effort to ascertain the scope of the infraction, if any , that has been committed.

Release of the video of the tragic event was inevitable and each television network wanted to be the first do so. What was missing, however, when the footage was released or soon thereafter, was a simple reminder that some, not all police, were involved in these brutal tactics. The general police population seeks to follow the rules and protect the public. Yet, when these tragedies occur, the broad image created is that all law enforcement officers invoke these tactics and the entire police profession is to blame.

The population abhors what happened to Nichols. And it should. However, when the video is released, there is no harm in reminding the viewing public that the actions of offending police do not reflect those of all police. Absent such a reminder, the event becomes a lightning rod for protests and riots against all police. Without question, police officers in many communities besides Memphis have participated in similar tragic tactics and reforms are needed. However, entire police communities need not become the target of scorn by a national population. The prosecution of the few need not be the vilification of all.

Some may interpret this reminder as untimely in the aftermath of the horrific killing of Tyre Nichols. Such an interpretation is unfair. No argument is made that law enforcement officials who commit these “scorpion” acts should not be aggressively prosecuted. Reforms are needed.

However, when there is a television blitz of a horrible police act, there is nothing that prevents an evenhanded analysis of what transpired. By only stoking the fires of collective ire, television serves to malign the reputation of many innocent parties. The collective footrace to only broadcast the footage of the tragedy becomes kerosene on the fire that most law abiding officers seek to extinguish.

Steven E. Kramer, of Mashpee, is a former Greenfield resident and frequent visitor the area.

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