MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Following reporting from ABC24 on residency questions regarding Memphis Police Department assistant chief Shawn Jones, MPD officials removed residency requirements from employee handbooks.
Included in those changes are the complete removal of policy numberDR128, which corresponded previously with the residency policy put in place. MPD employees were required to be able to respond within two hours of notification.
That policy number now corresponds to "Interfering with an administrative investigation."
ABC24 obtained a copy of the updated policy and procedures handbook Friday that showed several policies were changed on Friday, July 5, following reporting on MPD assistant chief Shawn Jones listing his primary residence, and still voting, in Georgia.
MPD officials also instituted a new policy, DR102, which corresponds to "Criticism."
That policy reads, "Employees shall not verbally or through any media criticize another MPD employee for any reason. Criticism shall not be used to slander or defame the reputation of any employee. This applies to all MPD employees regardless of their work assignment."
However, after contacted by ABC24 on Friday, a departmental email was sent out Saturday saying that the new handbook was a draft.
The email reads in full, "A draft matrix/P&P update containing draft policy DR 102 was disseminated before being reviewed by [human resources] and Legal. DR 102 will be removed from the matrix/P&P pending review. A corrected matrix/P&P will be disseminated on Monday."
MPD officials also updated the truthfulness policy to include court proceedings and an additional line.
The policy now reads in full, "A member shall not give any information, either oral or written, in connection with any assignment or investigation or court proceedings that is knowingly incorrect or false. Moreover, an employee shall not be deceitful in word or action with the intention to mislead another to believe something that is not true."
City of Memphis officials provided a statement to ABC24 saying that the document was a draft and was disseminated before being reviewed by HR and legal.
"The document dated 7/5/2024 - a draft matrix/p&p containing draft policy - contained input from multiple internal sources and was not reviewed by MPD senior leadership, HR or City legal prior to dissemination.
"The draft was inadvertently signed based on one line item change being marked as completed. A corrected document is being sent to all MPD staff."
These changes come after earlier this week, MPD confirmed reporting by ABC24 that Jones's primary residence was still in Fulton County, Georgia.
Jones is still actively voting in the state of Georgia despite serving as the second-in-command of the Memphis Police Department for nearly three years earning roughly $177,000.
Jones voted twice in 2024, most recently on May 21, 2024 in the Georgia general primary election with an early voting in-person ballot, according to Georgia voting records.
MPD officials did send a statement earlier in the week confirming Jones residency is still in the state of Georgia, but that Tennessee state law does not permit restrictions on the residency of first responders.
In March 2022, Gov. Bill Lee signed a senate bill that would allow commissioned officers to reside outside of Shelby County, but those who resided outside of the county must be able to report to work within two hours of notification, per MPD policy.