As you know over the last several weeks, our team has been diligently working through the process to find a new police director to replace Michael Rallings who is retiring April 14, 2021.
We had planned to announce a new appointee before the city council on April 6th but have decided to extend the timeline. The extension is, in part, the result of a newly added candidate, Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis. Ms. Davis is currently the police chief in Durham, North Carolina. You can see her short bio, here. To maintain the integrity of the process, we will be reconvening the original community panels to interview this candidate and to provide feedback. Memphis is fortunate to have such an excellent field of law enforcement professionals interested in leading our police department, and we’re excited to complete this process.
Due to the extended timeline, I have asked deputy director James Ryall to serve as the interim police director, beginning April 15, 2021 and he has accepted. He has had an incredible and honorable career with the Memphis Police Department, I’m grateful to the deputy director for taking the reins and providing steady leadership during this period of transition.