For Immediate Release: 1/28/2023 12:56 pm
Our department sends our prayers and support to the friends and family of Tyre Nichols. The death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of Memphis police officers is appalling and indefensible. The brutality that I saw in the video released yesterday, sickened me and has left me heartbroken. The failure of these officers to intervene is a disgrace to our profession and it impacts all who wear the badge. It angers me to see these officers betray their oath. Incidents like this will create further distrust and anger directed toward police across the nation.
Now more than ever, we must work hand in hand with our community, our partners and our leaders.
Our officers work hard each day to build relationships and strengthen trust. At the center of our work is our community policing philosophy which has helped us make great strides in connecting with those we serve. Our Neighborhood Meetings, our Youth Athletic Programs and our outreach efforts have all provided opportunities for us to interact with our residents and form lasting bonds. This atrocious incident may make it harder to build upon this foundation that we have created. But together, as a community, we can get through these difficult times.
As a department, we can always do more and we are committed to improving in all areas of policing.
We are in the process of rolling out our body camera program which shows our continued commitment to transparency and accountability.
I will always be looking for ways to improve whether it be policy reforms, new technology or better training techniques. As your police chief, I am devoted to making the Worcester Police Department the best it can be. I recognize that more can be done and more will be done.
Each of our officers has taken an Oath to protect you. You can count on us. We will always be there for you and it is our job to make every citizen feel safe. Our officers take pride in their work and we are committed to serving this great City of Worcester with compassion, integrity and professionalism.
Sincerely,
Chief Steven M. Sargent
