MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis City Council committee voted to recommend Police Chief C.J. Davis be voted out of her office by the full city council Tuesday.
The meeting was the first time the newly-elected Memphis City Council faced the Memphis Police chief, who was under heavy scrutiny for the perceived lack of transparency following the death of Tyre Nichols and record-breaking crime numbers in 2023.
The largest point of contention was accusations that the Memphis Police Department was not being ordered by Davis to follow city ordinances passed after the death of Tyre Nichols, which were meant to end pre-textual traffic stops. Davis addressed accusations she wasn't being truthful to the council.
"I'm not a liar, I don't have to be a liar," Davis said in front of the city council. "I went to work for this council [after the ordinances were passed], I navigated the politics, I navigated the state law, the federal law, and the position of our officers receiving mixed messages."
After questioning, council voted seven to six in favor of not recommending C.J. Davis stay in office, for the full city council to vote on at a later date.
Recently, news broke that former Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland rejected the approved city council ordinances that would end pretextual traffic stops, the use of unmarked cars, and some other MPD measures.
“We are deeply disturbed by the recent revelation by former Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland that he actively avoided signing and enforcing the Driving Equality Act in honor of Tyre Nichols that the Memphis City Council passed in Spring 2023, directing meaningful reform in how Memphis Police should conduct and report traffic stops,” said the attorneys’ statement.
During a news conference Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024, MPD Chief CJ Davis said Strickland's rejection of those measures needed context.
"The mayor didn't sign off on the ordinance. However, once the ordinance was passed by the Council, the police department changed our policies. We have to have policies that mirror city ordinance, so we changed the policies anyway," said Chief Davis. "You know, we didn't have to wait for the mayor to sign or not sign. So, our policies have been changed, our officers have had role call training and they have been operating under those ordinances and we haven't had any issues."
When asked during the news conference, new Mayor Paul Young promised the city would enforce them.
