MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Before long, much of Memphis will begin discussing the search for the next police director. And there is a lot to talk about. The city will start accepting applications for the job December 11th. Mayor Jim Strickland is expected to make a selection in late February – pending approval by the city council in March.
Depending on the results of the search, we could be in for lively council sessions at city hall.
The many issues that are likely to come up before then, include whether there is enough community input in the search process, whether the next director should be home grown or from out of town, and yes, whether it’s mandatory that the next director is African American.
Some council members are already saying those issues should be hashed out thoroughly, and indeed they should be. The police director’s job is one of the toughest in metro Memphis, particularly at a time when we are also debating police reform measures to make the department more responsive to community needs.
Current Director Mike Rallings is scheduled to retire in April. He came up through the ranks – as did all of his predecessors dating back to the 1980s. But is that the right approach today? Or do we need someone from the outside with no built-in loyalties to certain officers or certain longstanding department policies. Soon, those questions will demand answers. And that’s my point of view.