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Advisory council members in Reimagine Policing initiative speak on law enforcement accountability

The advisory council is made up of 13 members and four sub groups.

MEMPHIS, Tennessee — Wednesday Mayor Jim Strickland announced the formation of an advisory council to Reimagine Policing in Memphis.

Protests over police brutality in the city helped spark the initiative.

The advisory council is made up of 13 members and was created to continue the work of improving community relations with law enforcement and to help enhance accountability.  

“The task force is important because it’s really going to look at policy changes that can take place in the Memphis Police Department," said Senator Raumesh Akbari. "Really to address some of these overarching issues that have come to the forefront since the murder of George Floyd.” 

Senator Akbari is one of the members of the reimagine policing advisory council tasked with helping enhance transparency within the Memphis Police Department and making recommendations for ‘use of force’ policies.  

“Whether we’re looking at de-escalation, or implicit bias training or even looking at how mental health crises are handled I think everything is on the table," said Akbari. 

The council is made up of four sub groups – clergy, civil rights, legislative, and law enforcement.  

The city says the group will meet with members of the community over the next 45 days to draft recommendations and then in another 45 days make final recommendations which will be presented to the administration.  

Feedback from the public is encouraged.  

“We need the community to know that law enforcement is there to serve and protect not kill and maim,” said Commissioner Van Turner, the president of NAACP Memphis branch.  

Turner is also on the council and says he would like to see a return back to community policing.  

“Mayor Strickland meeting with those protesters meeting with BLM was the correct step to take for stage one," said Turner. "Now we have to get the policy-driven organizations, the NAACP.”

Turner says the county commission is putting forth legislation now for officers to have a note in their file for use of excessive force. 

“If they use excessive force and killed and maimed and did unlawful things here in Memphis then why would they stop if they went to Jackson, Mississippi?” 

The advisory committee meetings will be virtual and are open to the public. 

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