Today, the Strickland Administration announced the creation of an Advisory Council to Reimagine Policing in Memphis, which is Phase 2 of this work. Phase 1 of this process was to listen to protesters and to make immediate improvements such as adopting the “8 Can’t Wait” principles, improving CLERB, prohibiting no-knock warrants, extending the academy training by one week and adding additional cultural sensitivity training and continuing to review policies that will reduce excessive force by our police officers. These discussions will continue.
The focus of the advisory council will be to work with members of the community to find substantive, realistic and measurable ways to improve community relations with law enforcement, help enhance accountability and transparency within the Memphis Police Department, and to make recommendations on our use of force policies. The council will be made up of four subcommittees—clergy, civil rights, legislative, and law enforcement—facilitated by Coplexity. Ken Moody, Special Assistant to the Mayor and Director of the Office of Community Affairs, will be the point of contact for this council.
“First, I want to say thank you to the members of the advisory group for signing on to help us do this difficult but important work. Second, I want to reiterate how proud I am of the men and women of the Memphis Police Department and the work they do every day for our city,” Mayor Jim Strickland said. “Whether in government or business, successful organizations are continually searching for ways to improve and to be better at what they do. That’s my charge to this advisory group. We have one of the best police departments in the country, but there is always room for improvement.”
Over the next 45 days, this group will be meeting with members of the community to bring forth their initial and immediate actionable solutions. Once they bring those initial recommendations, the group will reconvene and continue working with members of the community for an additional 45 days to make final recommendations and present them to the administration.
In the coming days, Coplexity will help arrange the virtual meetings with the committees and organize the public meetings. If, for some reason, you are unable to participate in one of the many sessions that will be made available, please visit www.reimagine.memphistn.gov, and tell us what you would like to see improve in the Memphis Police Department, or what you like about the department. Just click on the “We want to hear from you” button on the home page.
The committees include Clergy, which will be responsible working with the faith-based community representing various religions. Civil Rights will work with activists and nonprofit organizations. The Legislative committee members will work with constituents, neighborhood groups and the business community. The Law Enforcement committee will reach out to other enforcement agencies and act as a resource to the group as a whole.
Below is the list of the members of the Advisory Council to Reimagine Policing:
