MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Mayor-elect Paul Young announced one of the most important decisions of his new administration on Thursday. Young told ABC24 News first that he is keeping Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis as the city's top cop.
In exclusive interviews, the mayor-elect told anchor Richard Ransom that he believes Davis can bring the new energy he wants to see in the crime fight, while Davis expressed her belief that she is meant to be in Memphis at this moment.
"We've had significant conversations," Young said. "I feel good about CJ and her ability to lead."
Young addressed the topic at the Peabody Hotel on Thursday. He said keeping Davis as police chief is a crucial part of the "pandemic level response" to crime.
"She has reassured me that she is committed to the work, and we are talking about what activities we can do in the very early stages of our administration to make sure we're having a significant impact on crime," Young said.
Homicides in the city are at an all-time high, car break-ins are through the roof, and smash-and-grabs are happening all the time. Davis spoke with ABC24 about her thoughts on staying in Memphis.
"I think sometimes I see more potential in this city than some of the people who've lived here," she said.
She sees potential within her own department.
"During the last two and a half years, I've personally, from my professional experience, identified where there are gaps we've got to work on," she said. "If we don't, we're going to chase the rabbit down the hole."
An issue plaguing Memphis is that the same felons keep getting out only to commit more crimes. One of the few new programs Davis spoke about in the interview is a "Repeat Offender Initiative"—an online dashboard exposing defendants publicly from the time they're arrested and as they go through the court system.
"We would love to just reform everybody or rehabilitate people, but there are individuals we won't be able to save," Davis said.
Davis said she and her department are tired of making 27,000 arrests a year, with the criminal court system only handling just 40 trials a year due to cases being discharged or dismissed.
"Almost a thousand people were murdered in our city in the past three years, and when you think in terms of how many people have been impacted by that, how many families have been impacted by that, how many suspects are going to jail or should be going to jail, it is really traumatizing to the community," she added. "We can do better."
Ultimately, she and Mayor-elect Young have a simple challenge.
"The conversations Mayor-elect Young and I have had were really about how do we motivate other people to be as passionate about being victim-focused as the police department is," she said.
Young has many other director positions to fill, including those in public works, parks, and the fire department. Young told ABC24 some of those announcements could be coming as soon as Friday.
Young will be sworn in on Jan. 1.