MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Decorum became a word with no meaning with Shelby County Commissioners. Verbal fisticuffs flew, with one commissioner telling the other to “shut up.”
The Commission was discussing proposals from Commissioner Tami Sawyer concerning changes in the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. One concerned making it a county ordinance that the sheriff’s office would not be allowed to hire anybody who had been fired from another department for use of excessive force.
The questioning of Shelby County Chief Deputy Kirk Fields started ok, but quickly deteriorated into two people talking over each other.
“I’m not finished,” Commissioner Sawyer told Chief Fields. “You asked me not to interrupt you, don’t me.”
Commissioner Amber Mills, who was Chairman of this committee then said, “Commissioner your two minutes are about up.”
Apparently Amber Mills lit the fuse for verbal fireworks. This was not pretty, and it overshadowed the meeting. Sawyer was talking, while Mills was gaveling to keep her quiet.
She said, “Commissioner Sawyer, please,” to which Sawyer replied, “Oh Amber shut up.”
Nothing was going to be decided here.
Commissioners did discuss banning certain types of military weapons from the sheriff’s office. Mills did speak out in support of Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner.
“Here we are,” she said, “... part time commissioners who are going to make an ordinance on weapons he (Bonner) can use and not use to do his job.” She pointed to the audience, saying, “Are there any law enforcement officers in the room? You are made out to be villains.”
When things cooled down, Commissioner Tami Sawyer again said she is not anti-law enforcement. “Things change. Law enforcement today is not the same as it was 50 years ago.”
