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Protesters net updated responses from mayor, MPD director

Mayor Jim Strickland and Memphis Police Department Director Michael Rallings on Tuesday gave fresh accounts of ongoing efforts to meet the demands of a multi-pronged band of local protesters.

What emerged, in part, was an announcement about the launch of a new reimagine policing website in response to calls for more accountability in law enforcement by police. The media conference, which was held virtually in deference to the novel coronavirus, also served as a platform for Strickland to detail responses to several groups of protesters.

Among the protesters is a coalition of nonprofit leaders that was back in Front of City Hall on Monday, declaring that “little substantive response” had been made to action steps the group had sought by June 26 regarding issues such as poverty wages, sub-par education, over-policing and brutality by law enforcement.

Sarah Lockridge-Steckel {Courtesy}

Speaking at Monday’s rally, Sarah Lockridge-Steckel of Collective Blueprint said while the coalition appreciated pledges to bring about swift change, no action had been taken to make sure change happens.

“Some officials have responded with the language of good intentions, but no one has hit the mark,” she said.

On Tuesday, Strickland used the press conference to assert that his administration works daily on improving the MPD and its relationship with the community.

Delivering, he said, on a commitment made a week ago, Strickland introduced www.reimagine.memphistn.gov as a trust-building tool that would give more citizens the opportunity to express their opinions and make proposals.

Citizens will be able to lodge complaints, review police policies and procedures, view the demographics of the police department, ask questions and make suggestions.

“Importantly, this website will allow anyone to submit questions, suggestions and general feedback about how we can do better.”

His administration, Strickland said, has agreed to several changes after meetings with an activist group that includes protest leaders DeVante Hill and Frank Gotti, talks with Memphis City Council members and work already being done by MPD.

The changes:

  • Match every guideline for “8 Can’t Wait.”
  • Ban no-knock warrants.
  • Strengthen CLERB (Citizens Law Enforcement Review Board).
  • Work with the Memphis Police Association to enhance accountability in the language of the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding). Specifically, that the language will clearly indicate that violation of excessive force guidelines is a “fire-able” offense.
  • Work together to improve implicit bias training.

Noting that multiple other groups had made “recommendations,” he specifically mentioned that his team was studying dozens of recommendations from Black Lives Matter for a subsequent meeting.

Detailing responses to eight recommendations pushed by Memphis Nonprofits Demand Action (MNDA), Strickland said his administration agrees with six of them:

  • Ban chokeholds,
  • Require de-escalation,
  • Require a duty to intervene if an officer witnesses another use excessive force,
  • Require officers to report if they point a firearm at a citizen,
  • Strengthen the Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board, and
  • Include “grassroots black and brown activists” in the hiring of the new police director.

The MNDA also sought the release from jail of all protesters, with charges dropped and all officers held accountable for any wrongdoing during the protests.

“Those investigations of police officers are ongoing,” said Strickland, adding that all protesters have been released but that he does not have the authority to drop charges.

“Nor have I reviewed the proof in all those cases to know whether I would advocate for that.”

(The press conference came the day before police arrested protesters who refused directives to leave their about two-week encampment in front of City Hall. City officials said protesters were asked to leave because of construction scheduled to begin Wednesday morning.)

The remaining item – to reduce the budget of the Memphis Police Department – is the only item to which there is whole-hearted disagreement, he said.

“As I have said many times, we are hundreds of officers short of where we need to be.

Turning to MICAH (Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope), Strickland said most of their suggestions had been agreed to and more detailed responses are forthcoming as are such responses to recommendations by the Democratic Socialists group.

“While there are bad officers out there, the overwhelming majority of our officers here in Memphis are honest, decent and hard working men and women that love their jobs and the communities they serve,” said Strickland, emphasizing a point he considers often overlooked or not reported.

MPD Director Michael Rallings. {Photo: Screen capture}

Rallings said, “We realize that we have a lot of work to do. …Many of the things that citizens have been requesting, and the different groups that we’ve met with, appear to be closely aligned with … President Barack Obama’s 21st Century policing.”

That document, he said, is a blueprint that could be used to move forward.

“We have been working off of this document since it came out but I think we can be more purposeful and definitely do more to align with 21st Century policing and do more of what our citizens are asking us to do.

At Monday’s MNDA rally in front of City Hall, Cardell Orrin, executive director of Stand for Children and one of the MNDA organizers, said, “We are asking our leaders to go beyond giving lip service to the deep, systemic challenges our city and county face. …


Cardell Orrin details MNDA’s protest stance, with the support of co-organizers (l-r) Sarah Lockridge-Steckel and Natalie McKinney. (Courtesy photo)

“Racism is a pandemic. Poverty is a pandemic. What are we going to do about them? …

“Expecting nonprofits and public goodwill to solve these challenges is not enough.”

Natalie McKinney, an MNDA organizer and executive director of Whole Child Strategies, questioned mechanisms in place to confirm that there is movement on the issues at hand.

“How do we know if some action is being taken?” asked McKinney. “Who makes the determination, and what is the measure of effective steps being taken to bring about change?”

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