Memphis Police Scanner: When SCORPION Operated in the Dark
On January 7, 2023, five Memphis police officers from the SCORPION unit beat Tyre Nichols less than a block from his home. He died three days later. The officers operated on encrypted tactical channels, invisible to the public they served. Today, Memphis faces a choice: embrace the transparency that could have prevented tragedy, or continue hiding specialized units from accountability.
January 7, 2023: The Death of Tyre Nichols
SCORPION officers pull over Tyre Nichols at East Raines and Ross Roads for alleged reckless driving. He was less than half a mile from home.
Officers radio: "Any other Scorpion car pull over to East Raines and Ross. We have one running on foot." This dispatch audio was public.
Nichols is restrained and beaten by five officers near his mother's home. "Taser was deployed as well," dispatch records. The violence lasted approximately 3 minutes.
More than 20 minutes pass before medical assistance arrives. Officers filed reports claiming Nichols "started to fight."
Three days after the beating, Nichols dies at St. Francis Hospital. He was 29 years old, a FedEx worker, amateur photographer, and father.
What the Scanner Revealed vs. What It Couldn't
Accessible Dispatch Audio
- "One male Black running"
- "Set up a perimeter"
- "Run that tag, see the address"
- "He's fighting at this time"
- "Taser was deployed as well"
Encrypted/Hidden
- SCORPION tactical communications
- Officer-to-officer radio during beating
- Coordination of the cover-up
- Statements made at the scene
- Post-incident discussions
SCORPION Unit: 40 Officers, Zero Oversight
The Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods (SCORPION) was created in October 2021 under MPD's Organized Crime Unit. Mayor Jim Strickland praised it as the answer to Memphis's rising crime rate. But Council Member Patrice Robinson revealed a troubling pattern: after the initial 2021 presentation, city council received almost no updates on the unit's activities, successes, or problems.
"We're going to have to have some professional support, so that we can get the information that we need. The community is asking for data transparency."— Council Member Patrice Robinson, after the Nichols killing
DOJ Issues National Guidance on Specialized Units
In response to the Nichols case, the U.S. Department of Justice released "Considerations for Specialized Units"—guidance for police chiefs and mayors nationwide. The DOJ noted that specialized units like SCORPION "may be subject to less oversight and transparency." The guide urges agencies to ensure "necessary management, oversight, and accountability."
The irony: Encrypted tactical channels actively prevent the oversight DOJ recommends. Memphis could restore transparency tomorrow. It chooses not to.
December 2024: DOJ Finds Pattern of Violations
After a 17-month investigation launched following Nichols' death, the Department of Justice issued devastating findings on December 4, 2024.
Excessive Force
MPD systematically uses excessive force, with officers regularly escalating low-level incidents through aggressive actions, including encounters with children.
Racial Discrimination
MPD unlawfully discriminates against Black people when enforcing the law. Memphis is 64% Black; the burden of unconstitutional policing falls disproportionately on Black residents.
Unlawful Stops & Arrests
Officers conduct stops, searches, and arrests without proper legal justification—exactly what happened to Tyre Nichols during that traffic stop with no documented reason.
Retaliation Against Speech
Officers use force to retaliate and punish people, especially when people talk back to them. Constitutional rights are treated as provocations.
Disability Discrimination
The City and MPD unlawfully discriminate in their response to people with behavioral health disabilities.
Harm to Children
DOJ identified serious concerns about MPD's treatment of children, a finding that echoes national patterns of aggressive policing in schools.
Memphis Scanner Access: Better Than Nashville, Still Flawed
Memphis maintains more transparency than Nashville. While Nashville fully encrypted in August 2019, Memphis keeps primary dispatch channels accessible. Broadcastify streams MPD and Shelby County Sheriff dispatch in near-real-time.
However, specialized units like the former SCORPION operated on encrypted tactical channels—the same units DOJ found engaged in the worst abuses. The question isn't whether routine dispatch is public. It's whether accountability-critical operations remain hidden.
Memphis is upgrading to P25 Phase II. Scanner community members note that while encryption hasn't been announced system-wide, "anybody's guess" whether that changes with the new system. The time to advocate for transparency is now.
April 2023: Tennessee Abolishes Police Oversight Boards
Four months after Tyre Nichols' death sparked national outrage over Memphis police accountability, the Tennessee legislature voted to abolish civilian police oversight boards in both Memphis and Nashville.
Memphis CLERB (1994-2023)
The Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board was established in 1994 to investigate police misconduct allegations. For nearly 30 years, it provided independent review of citizen complaints against officers.
PARC (2024-Present)
The Police Advisory and Review Committee can only review complaints and provide recommendations. It has no investigation powers. Seven members appointed by the Mayor, with City Council approval.
"What you're saying is that you know better than the people who have been victims of police violence, who led the campaign in Nashville to institute this community oversight board—mothers of young men who were murdered by police in this city."— Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville), opposing the bill
October 2024: Federal Trial and Mixed Verdict
Three former SCORPION officers—Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith—faced federal civil rights charges. Two others (Desmond Mills Jr. and Emmitt Martin III) pleaded guilty and testified against their colleagues.
Demetrius Haley
Tadarrius Bean & Justin Smith
New Trial Ordered (2025)
Chief U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman granted new trials for all three officers, citing concerns over judicial bias. State murder charges remain pending. The path to accountability continues to wind.
2025: ACLU Sues Memphis for Transparency Violations
In May 2025, Stand for Children Tennessee and the ACLU filed a lawsuit against Memphis for unlawfully denying access to public records that would reveal whether MPD addressed the DOJ's findings.
The Request
Records showing what steps MPD has taken to address excessive force, racial profiling, and discriminatory policing documented in the December 2024 DOJ report.
Memphis Response
Blanket denial. Memphis was the only department among six jurisdictions nationwide to completely refuse ACLU requests. A judge previously found the city "willfully violated" Tennessee's Public Records Act.
The Pattern
This denial reflects broader resistance to transparency. Without public records access, Memphis residents cannot assess whether any reforms have occurred since the DOJ findings.
Memphis Metro Agency Status
| Agency | Type | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis Police Department | Police | Partial | Primary dispatch in the clear; specialized units encrypted including former SCORPION |
| Shelby County Sheriff | Sheriff | Partial | Dispatch accessible; some operations encrypted |
| Tennessee Highway Patrol | State | Partial | Dispatch 1 in clear (~90% traffic); Dispatch 2 encrypted for sensitive calls |
| Memphis Fire Department | Fire | Open | Fire/EMS channels generally accessible on trunked system |
| Shelby County Fire | Fire | Open | County fire agencies on shared accessible system |
| Bartlett Police | Police | Partial | Memphis suburb; shares county infrastructure |
| Germantown Police | Police | Partial | Affluent suburb; partial encryption |
| Collierville Police | Police | Partial | Eastern suburb; partial encryption |
| Millington Police | Police | Open | Naval base area; more accessible |
| University of Memphis Police | Campus | Partial | Campus law enforcement; mixed encryption |
Technical Details for Scanner Listeners
Memphis/Shelby County System
The system is a Motorola Legacy SmartZone built from the original Shelby County EDACS and City of Memphis SmartNet. These merged into a SmartZone with P25 talkgroups over an analog data stream. Primary dispatch remains accessible.
P25 Phase II Upgrade
Memphis is upgrading to P25 Phase II, adding two or three tower sites. New radios have been purchased and issued. While full encryption hasn't been announced, Phase II systems can easily implement encryption. Advocates should engage now.
What You Can Hear
MPD primary dispatch, Shelby County Sheriff dispatch, Fire/EMS channels, Tennessee Highway Patrol Dispatch 1. Check RadioReference Memphis/Shelby County for current talkgroup status. Broadcastify streams multiple local feeds.
What's Encrypted
Specialized units (formerly SCORPION, current tactical), investigations, undercover operations, and some operations channels. The channels where accountability matters most—where the Nichols beating was coordinated—remain hidden.
Memphis Crime: Context for the Debate
Advocates of aggressive policing point to Memphis's crime statistics. But the numbers cut both ways—and the DOJ found that MPD's methods weren't just unconstitutional, they eroded the public trust necessary for effective policing.
The transparency argument: Memphis's 2024 crime decline happened after SCORPION was disbanded, after five officers were charged with murder, and during intense scrutiny of police tactics. Aggressive, unaccountable policing wasn't the solution. Transparency and accountability may actually improve outcomes.
Fight Back: Protect Memphis Transparency
Memphis has what Nashville doesn't: accessible primary dispatch. But with P25 Phase II coming, that could change. The time to lock in transparency is before the next system upgrade—not after encrypted channels hide the next SCORPION.
Contact Memphis City Council
The 13-member Memphis City Council oversees MPD. Demand that any P25 upgrade include commitments to keep dispatch accessible. Reference the DOJ findings— transparency prevents the abuses DOJ documented.
File Public Records Requests
Follow the ACLU's lead. Request records on encryption decisions, system upgrades, and any policies adopted since the DOJ report. Memphis has shown resistance— document their denials and challenge them.
Support Local Journalism
The Memphis Commercial Appeal, Daily Memphian, and local TV stations covered the Nichols case extensively. Support outlets that push for transparency. Pitch stories about the system upgrade and encryption risk.
Engage the New PARC
The Police Advisory and Review Committee is weaker than CLERB, but it exists. Attend meetings, submit comments, and push for advisory opinions on transparency. Every voice matters in a limited forum.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Memphis Police radio encrypted?
Memphis Police Department uses a hybrid model. Primary dispatch channels remain in the clear and accessible via scanner apps like Broadcastify. However, specialized units, tactical operations, and sensitive investigations are encrypted. The now-disbanded SCORPION unit operated on encrypted channels.
Was the Tyre Nichols beating captured on police scanner?
Scanner audio from January 7, 2023 captured dispatch communications including 'one male Black running' and requests to 'set up a perimeter.' The primary dispatch channels remained accessible, but tactical communications and post-incident discussions were on encrypted channels.
What was the SCORPION unit and why was it encrypted?
SCORPION (Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods) was a 40-officer specialized unit created in October 2021. Like most specialized crime suppression units, it operated on encrypted tactical channels. All five officers charged in Tyre Nichols' murder were SCORPION members. The unit was permanently disbanded on January 28, 2023.
What did the DOJ find about Memphis Police?
In December 2024, the DOJ found that MPD engages in a pattern of excessive force, unlawful stops, searches and arrests, and racial discrimination against Black residents. The investigation was launched following Tyre Nichols' death and found 'systemic violations of the Constitution and federal law.'
Did Memphis agree to DOJ reforms?
No. Memphis refused to enter a consent decree with the DOJ, citing costs that exceeded $500 million in cities like Chicago. In early 2025, the Trump administration dropped the pattern-or-practice investigation entirely, leaving reform efforts uncertain.
Can I still listen to Memphis police scanners?
Yes. Unlike Nashville (which fully encrypted in 2019), Memphis maintains accessible primary dispatch. Broadcastify and other services stream Memphis Police and Shelby County Sheriff dispatch. However, specialized units, investigations, and tactical operations are encrypted.
What about Shelby County Sheriff scanners?
Shelby County Sheriff's Office dispatch is generally accessible via scanner apps. The Communications Center utilizes a Computer Aided Dispatch System and Radio System that maintains some public access, though certain operations are encrypted.
Has Tennessee passed legislation on police civilian oversight?
In April 2023, the Tennessee legislature voted to abolish police oversight boards in Memphis and Nashville. The Memphis Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB), established in 1994, lost its investigation powers and was replaced by the weaker Police Advisory and Review Committee (PARC).