The Memphis City Council has postponed a vote on reappointing the police chief due to high homicide rates and community distrust.
Instead, CJ Davis has been made interim police chief to demonstrate her abilities.
The community is divided over her leadership amidst soaring crime rates.
“There is no such thing as success for Chief Davis without mending those relationships,” City Council Chairman JB Smiley Jr. said.
“Right now, we have a very fractured police department, and we have to do something to bridge the gaps that need to be bridged, but also build public trust,” Smiley said. “We have serious issues in the city of Memphis and we need a police chief who understands those issues, can speak to the people, and put policies and plans in place that will ultimately deter crime.”
“We all agree that where we are right now is untenable,” a city council meeting attendee yelled, saying, “398 homicides.”
“I want all of us to understand it’s not on her. It’s on everybody,” Mayor Paul Young said.
“Public safety is not just law enforcement, public safety, it’s all the components. The police can only respond to the crime. We need to be intervening,” he said.
“We all understand that crime considers a myriad of things: socioeconomic status, you know, poverty, all of those things. But also, we have to acknowledge that police play a role in reducing crime,” Smiley said.
The mayor supports Davis, but there are concerns about fractured police-community relationships.
The city is facing a pattern or practice investigation by the DOJ, and there are issues with police morale and staffing.
The council sees the interim appointment as an opportunity to assess the situation before making a decision.
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