from
https://nypost.com/2023/01/28/memphis-cops-in-tyre-nichols-murder-hired-after-pd-relaxed-job-standards/

Memphis cops charged in Tyre Nichols murder hired after PD relaxed job
requirements
By Matthew Sedacca

January 28, 2023 5:29pm UpdatedMemphis cops charged in Tyre Nichols
murder hired after PD relaxed job requirements

Tyre Nichols’ family lawyer hopes brutal beatdown a ‘watershed moment’
leading to police reform

At least two out of of five Memphis police officers charged with murder
in the fatal beatdown of Tyre Nichols joined the force after the
department relaxed its hiring requirements.

Tadarrius Bean and Demetrius Haley both joined the Memphis Police
Department in Aug. 2020, NBC News reported, more than two years after
the department dramatically loosened the education qualifications to
become an officer.

Recruits no longer needed an associate’s degree or 54 college credit
hours to join the force, and could get by with five years of work
experience, Action 5 reported.

Loosening the required qualifications however means that the department
is ultimately getting “less desirable” job candidates, Mike Alcazar, an
adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a retired
NYPD detective, told The Post.

“They’re desperate. They want police officers,” Alcazar said. “They’re
going through it, they check off some boxes, saying, ‘Ok, they’re good
enough, get them on.”

The department showed signs of struggle with recruiting new police
officers, offering $15,000 signing bonuses in 2021 and 2022, Fox 13
reported.

Tadarrius Bean (right) and Demetrius Haley joined the force two years
after the department drastically loosened requirements to become an officer.
Shelby County Sheriff's Office//REUTERS
As of Jan. 2022, MPD was down roughly 500 officers, the news outlet
reported, citing the Memphis Police Association.

Read more of the Post’s coverage of Tyre Nichols’ beating death
Memphis cop charged in Tyre Nichols’ death previously beat up inmate,
ex-prisoner alleges
Over an hour of footage reveals horror of fatal Tyre Nichols police beating
Who was Tyre Nichols? What we know about his death, arrest by Memphis police
Last year, the department lowered its standards again for new recruits,
nixing the timed physical ability test and cutting college education
requirements from 54 credit hours to just 24.

Tyre Nichols was beaten by five Memphis police officers on January 7,
and died three days later in the hospital.
Tyre Nichols was beaten by five Memphis police officers on January 7,
and died three days later in the hospital.
DEANDRE NICHOLS via REUTERS
The department also revealed that was even offering waivers for people
who have been convicted on felony charges.

“Police departments have to take the screening process of candidates to
be police officers seriously and not rush to hire officers that might
not be qualified,” Alcazar said.

S