Clinton Police Chief Kevin Gyrion posted a statement Friday night on social media after the videos showing the violent arrest of Tyre Nichols were released, saying “what occurred on January 7th in Memphis, Tennessee is an absolute outrage.”

The videos, which consist of both body cam footage and street surveillance footage, were made public by the city of Memphis on Friday evening.

“What those officers in Memphis did was deplorable and a fundamental violation of the oath they swore to uphold,” Gyrion said in the post. “The members of the Clinton Police Department stand with the family of Tyre Nichols and the entire Memphis community.”

Here is the full text of Gyrion’s message:

As someone who has dedicated most of my life to public service and Law Enforcement, I will say that what occurred on January 7th in Memphis Tennessee is an absolute outrage, and I am angry beyond words. We have worked tirelessly with our community over the past few years to be better, to show that we are better, and to build and strengthen a relationship that is based on trust. The actions of the five police officers in Memphis were sickening not only to myself, but also to the men and women of the Clinton Police Department.

What those officers in Memphis did was deplorable and a fundamental violation of the oath they swore to uphold. In this case, those sworn to protect and maintain public safety became violent criminals while wearing a badge of public trust.

The Memphis Police Department, the Department of Justice, the FBI, Shelby County District Attorney’s Office, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations acted quickly to terminate and subsequently arrest the officers responsible for the death of Tyre Nichols. Incidents such as this damage community trust across the world and at a local level, even when the incident occurs hundreds of miles away. The members of the Clinton Police Department stand with the family of Tyre Nichols and the entire Memphis community.

We will continue to serve our community to our utmost ability.

Sincerely,
Kevin Gyrion
Chief of Police
Clinton Iowa.