FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 27, 2023
Joint Release: Charlottesville Law Enforcement Agencies Respond to Events in Memphis
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – We are profoundly saddened by the actions that led to the untimely, senseless, and brutal death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of five former members of the Memphis Police Department.
Once again, police officers around the globe who hold dear their oath of office and work diligently to preserve public trust and confidence have been irreparably harmed by the callous actions of others who abandoned their commitment to peace, justice, and the humanity. The disgusting actions we witnessed in this video are not indicative of the hard-working men and woman of our agencies.
The work our officers do every day matters in the lives of others. We must set out to do good, act with measured restraint, honor our commitment to the Constitutional principles that guide our work, and to always, always, respect the sanctity of human life: no matter what. It is the undisputed truth that our profession has not always been on the right side of justice; the actions of these five former members show that we still have work to do.
As leaders of the three law enforcement agencies in this region, we are committed to building back the community’s trust to uphold the oath we hold so dear.
Timothy Longo
University of Virginia
Chief of Police
Michael Kochis
City of Charlottesville
Chief of Police
Sean Reeves
Albemarle County
Chief of Police
Media Contact
Kyle Ervin
Public Safety Information Officer
City of Charlottesville
434-326-3043
ervinkl@charlottesville.gov