DOJ holds first community meeting to discuss findings of MPD investigation
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – The U.S. Department of Justice made a push Monday night encouraging the City of Memphis to enter a consent decree so that the federal government can help clean up its police department.
The DOJ held a community forum with citizens over Zoom on Monday, attended by about 400 people.
Federal attorneys explained the findings of the DOJ’s pattern and practice investigation and countered every reason the City of Memphis gave last week for not entering into an agreement with Uncle Sam.
The DOJ’s 17-month deep dive into the Memphis Police Department found MPD guilty of violating the civil rights of its citizens.
Normally, a city and police force found guilty of infractions in an investigation enter into a consent decree, an enforceable agreement with the feds to enact change.
But, Memphis said no, and the Bluff City isn’t the only one.
The online Zoom meeting took questions from the public, and the six questions selected for the 75-minute call all focused on the reasons why Memphis should enter into a consent decree with the DOJ.
“In our experience,” said DOJ attorney Suraj Kumar, “the most effective way to bring a police department in compliance with the constitution and federal law is through an agreement that is enforceable and overseen by an independent monitor.”
But Memphis leaders made it clear last week that the city has no intention of signing an agreement with the DOJ.
“We believe we can make more effective and meaningful change by working together,” said Memphis Mayor Paul Young, “with community input and independent national experts than we can with a bureaucratic, costly and complicated federal government consent decree.”
The DOJ said cities that entered consent decrees showed successful reform, saying Seattle now uses force in less than 2% of mental health crisis calls.
Federal officials also said use of force incidents by Baltimore police decreased 62% since 2022, and crime in Newark, New Jersey, is down 40% since 2016, when that city reached an agreement with the DOJ.
While Memphis leaders worry about the millions of dollars a consent decree could cost, DOJ legal experts warned that without change and new accountability measures in place, Memphis’ police force could lose taxpayers’ money and trust.
“Cities also pay millions in lawsuits,” said attorney Maureen Johnston, “We’ve seen reform reduce those costs significantly.”
The DOJ also tried to reassure Memphians that the team of lawyers who handled the investigation, and who would craft a consent decree, will still be around when Donald Trump takes the Oval Office.
“We are committed to working with the City and MPD,” said Kumar, “to negotiate an agreement that will provide a road map to address the violations and hold the police department and the city accountable while making changes.”
While other cities quickly entered consent decrees with the DOJ, Louisville is not one of them.
The investigation into the Louisville Police Department’s 2020 shooting death of Breonna Taylor concluded in March 2023.
But, Louisville has still not reached an agreement even after 65 meetings with federal officials.
The DOJ will hold another meeting for Memphians next week.
When the details are released, Action News 5 will bring them to you on-air and online.
Locals may also submit recommendations to the DOJ by email at Community.Memphis@usdoj.gov or by phone at 888-473-3730.
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