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1 February 2023
Death of Tyre Nichols raises questions around US police training
The deadly beating of Tyre Nichols by a group of Memphis police officers following a traffic stop once again raises questions around the training and culture of police across the United States.
New reports allege the harrowing video evidence of the arrest of Tyre Nichols, a 29 year old Black man, contradicts the official police report written after his arrest. The incident itself has been compared to the infamous beating of Rodney King in 1991.
Unlike US plumbers who receive 3,500 hours of training on average, US police officers receive only 652 hours of training on average. To put that in further contrast, Australian police receive at least 3,500 hours of training.
Policing and law enforcement in the United States is as much a political as it is a social issue, and will no doubt feature in the upcoming 2024 presidential elections. However, amid the political rhetoric, it remains to be seen whether the death of another Black man at the hands of the police will spark meaningful change.
EVENTS
Meet the Hamilton Australia Cast
As Hamilton commences its final weeks in Australia, the United States Studies Centre is delighted to welcome Jason Arrow (Alexander Hamilton), Akina Edmonds (Angelica Schuyler), Matu Ngaropo (George Washington) and producer Michael Cassel for an exclusive discussion and Q&A.
What are the similarities and differences in the American and Australian founding stories? How did the Australian performance differ from other locations? How did the cast rehearse with the Hamilton creative team in the midst of the pandemic?
To discuss these questions, and more, the producer and members of the Hamilton cast will join USSC CEO Dr Michael Green, Non-Resident Senior Fellow Bruce Wolpe and Research Associate Victoria Cooper for a conversation about the Hamilton Australia experience. There will be an opportunity for audience questions, so register now to attend and for your chance to ask a question of the Hamilton cast.
WHEN
SYDNEY | Tuesday, 7 February, 11:00am-12:00pm AEDT
COST
Free, but registration is essential
NEWS WRAP
Biden and McCarthy face off as debt ceiling deadline looms
- President Biden’s message to Speaker McCarthy: 'show me your budget and I’ll show you mine' | The president and speaker are facing off on plans to lift the debt ceiling. Experts warn if a deal cannot be reached, the global economic consequences could be catastrophic. READ MORE HERE
- Republican and Democrat lawmakers condemn arrest of Tyre Nichols | In a rare moment of bipartisanship, a mix of politicians from both sides of the aisle condemned the deadly arrest of Tyre Nichols, though many notable Republicans have thus far been silent on the issue. READ MORE HERE
- Russia not abiding by nuclear arms treaty signed with the United States | In a troubling sign of the growing gap in US-Russia relations, Russia is not allowing inspectors access to its nuclear arsenal as part of an international agreement. READ MORE HERE
- Donald Trump's path to potential victory in the 2024 presidential election looks precarious | The next roadblock between Trump and a 2024 presidential race is whether he can secure the Republican nomination. Many pundits are saying this is highly unlikely, that Trump is seen as a divisive force within the party, but whether he will pull it off remains to be seen. READ MORE HERE
- Ukraine rushes to fix old Soviet tanks, with Western ones still far away | The embattled nation is racing to train mechanics to fix its fleet of Soviet era main battle tanks. Western allies have promised more than 300 Leopard 2, Challenger 2 and M1 Abrams tanks, but delivery of these is expected to take many months. READ MORE HERE
ANALYSIS
Australia must mobilise its private investors for future defence
Dr John Kunkel, Senior Economic Advisor
Hayley Channer, Director of Economic Security
Australia faces its toughest security environment in decades. Rising geostrategic threats and rapid technological disruption will need to be mitigated through significant investment in Australia’s defence and security capabilities over decades.
AUKUS and other national security capabilities will cost hundreds of billions. However, with pressure for more social spending, where is this investment likely to come from?
To support our defence objectives and make good on our commitments to regional allies and partners, Australia urgently needs to develop new public-private partnerships that leverage private sector nous and capital for national security purposes.
Leveraging ‘non-traditional’ forms of national security financing is a mindset shift for the Australian defence and security establishment, as is adopting new approaches that draw together government, industry, the technological research community and finance sector.
This piece was first published in Australian Financial Review on 18 January 2023.
"I don’t have my baby. I’ll never have my baby again."
BY THE NUMBERS
The difference in the number of hours it takes to train a police officer in Australia and the United States is stark according to the Institute for Criminal Justice Training Reform.
Australian police on average get more than five times as much training, in hours, than their counterparts in the United States.
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University of Sydney NSW 2006
