3 officers acquitted in death of Manny Ellis to leave Tacoma Police Department

TACOMA, Wash. — The three Tacoma police officers recently acquitted in the death of Manuel Ellis have agreed to leave the department.

According to Tacoma Police Chief Avery Moore, all three officers -- Christopher Burbank, Matthew Collins, and Timothy Rankine -- have also been cleared of wrongdoing based on 2020 use of force policies. Collins had one sustained finding regarding a violation of TPD’s “policy on courtesy.”

Chief Moore further acknowledged that the department’s use of force policy in place at the time of Ellis’ death “failed to serve the best interests of the police department or the community.”

“However, because it was policy at the time, it guided by decisions announced today,” he added, noting how that policy has since been superseded by a new one.

This comes in the wake of the U.S. Attorney’s office opening an independent review into the case surrounding Ellis’ death, just weeks after Burbank, Collins, and Rankine were acquitted on murder and manslaughter charges.

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