The Memphis Police Department announced over the weekend that it was disbanding an important anti-crime task force in the wake of the death of Tyre Nichols.

Nichols died on January 10, three days after Memphis police pulled him over in a traffic stop for “reckless driving” near Raines Road and Ross Road in Memphis, Tennessee.

Police said that during the stop, a “confrontation occurred,” at which point Nichols ran away from police on foot as they attempted to apprehend him. Video of the incident was released last night by law enforcement.

The Memphis Police Department said Saturday night that it was ending the SCORPION Unit (Street Crimes Operations to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods) after officials met with Chief Cerelyn ‘C J.’ Davis to discuss recent events.

“In the process of listening intently to the family of Tyre Nichols, community leaders, and the uninvolved officers who have done quality work in their assignments, it is in the best interest of all to permanently deactivate the SCORPION Unit,” the statement said. “The officers currently assigned to the unit agree unreservedly with this next step. While the heinous actions of a few casts a cloud of dishonor on the title SCORPION, it is imperative that we, the Memphis Police Department take proactive steps in the healing process for all impacted.”

“The Memphis Police Department remains committed to serving our community and taking every measure possible to rebuild the trust that has been negatively affected by the death of Mr. Tyre Nichols,” police added.

Officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmit Martin III, Desmond Mills, Jr., and Justin Smith have all been charged with two counts of official misconduct, local media reported, with one count of official oppression, second-degree murder, aggravated assault-act in concert, and two counts of aggravated kidnapping.

Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, told CNN on Friday that those who protest her son’s death should not riot because that is not what her son would have wanted.

“I don’t want us burning up our cities, tearing up the streets, because that’s not what my son stood for,” Wells said. “And if you guys are here for me and Tyre, then you will protest peacefully.”

Related: Two More Law Enforcement Officers Under Investigation Over Alleged Involvement In Death Of Tyre Nichols

Four-star Air Force General Mike Minihan sent a memo on Friday, warning the officers he commands that he sees war on the horizon — with China — in less than two years.

Minihan, who reportedly sent the memo out to all of the air wing commanders in Air Mobility Command and other Air Force operational commanders, is in charge of some 50,000 service members and 500 planes in the Air Mobility Command.

According to NBC News, which obtained a copy of the memo, Minihan warned that upcoming elections in 2024 — both in the United States and Taiwan — could provide enough cover that China might feel emboldened to make a move against Taiwan while the rest of the world was distracted.

“I hope I am wrong. My gut tells me we will fight in 2025,” he wrote. “Xi secured his third term and set his war council in October 2022. Taiwan’s presidential elections are in 2024 and will offer Xi a reason. United States’ presidential elections are in 2024 and will offer Xi a distracted America. Xi’s team, reason, and opportunity are all aligned for 2025.”

Minihan directed his officers to lay out a plan to prepare for potential war with China. He instructed them to report back to him with their plans — and any efforts they may have already made — no later than February 28.

Minihan also laid out a series of steps that officers should be taking in their efforts to prepare, saying that his ultimate goal was to build “a fortified, ready, integrated, and agile Joint Force Maneuver Team ready to fight and win inside the first island chain.”

He went on to lay out what they should be doing in the coming months, beginning with February: “Fire a clip into a 7-meter target with the full understanding that unrepentant lethality matters most. Aim for the head.”

In March, he suggested that they make sure their legal affairs were handled in case of a deployment, saying that they should “consider their personal affairs and whether a visit should be scheduled with their servicing base legal office to ensure they are legally ready and prepared.”

A spokesperson for the Air Mobility Command confirmed that the memo was real and had been sent to ensure that Minihan’s officers were ready to act if all efforts at deterrence should fail.

“This is an authentic internal memo from General Minihan addressed to his subordinate command teams. His order builds on last year’s foundational efforts by Air Mobility Command to ready the Mobility Air Forces for future conflict, should deterrence fail,” the spokesperson told NBC News on Friday.

After NBC News went public with the contents of the memo, the Defense Department issued a statement, saying, “These comments are not representative of the department’s view on China.”