More than 400 Memphians attend virtual meeting with U.S. Dept. of Justice, react to investigation into police department
Desmond Nugent
The U.S. Department of Justice allowed public input during a virtual community meeting after an investigation into the Memphis Police Department.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) hosted a Zoom meeting Monday, Dec. 9, to discuss what officials discovered in their 17-month investigation into the Memphis Police Department.
An official with the DOJ said more than 400 Memphians attended the virtual meeting to share how they felt about the department’s report into MPD.
The 17-month investigation was launched after officers fatally beat Tyre Nichols after he ran away from a traffic stop in January 2023.
Six DOJ officials took the time to breakdown each civil rights violation they unveiled in their investigation. They include using excessive force, making illegal traffic stops and disproportionately targeting Black people in the majority Black city.
During the virtual meeting, most of the questions for those who attended centered around what the DOJ and the City of Memphis are doing to make the changes needed to turn the city around.
Maureen Johnson with the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division said one of the questions the public wanted to know was how much would it cost for reform to take place within the Bluff City.
“The process does require a commitment of resources by the city, but there are really significant benefits to investing in those reforms,” Johnson said. “In our view, those benefits significantly outweigh the financial costs.”
According to Johnson, a consent decree agreement would allow the DOJ to constitutionally police the City of Memphis to make necessary changes. She did not state how much the agreement would cost the City of Memphis. Johnson said reform cost depend on numerous factors.
The City of Memphis did deny the consent decree agreement. In a letter, city leaders stated it would cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. The city’s letter also said that they will work with partners within the city, as well as national police reform experts and the DOJ to produce an improvement plan that can be implemented “much more effectively and efficiently than a consent decree.”
The DOJ outlined their investigation into MPD’s patterns and practices.
Suraj Kumar, a DOJ official with the Civil Rights Division said they discovered racial issues taking place during minor traffic stops by MPD.
“In one incident, a Black woman was rear-ended by a white driver. An officer cursed at her and threatened to arrest her for disorderly conduct even though she had done nothing illegal,” Kumar. “An MPD supervisor exonerated the officer and wrote incorrectly the woman provoked officers to address her behavior.”
Tammy Borkcom, a therapist with Kindred Place, told ABC24 the DOJ’s report can trigger trauma for both police officers and victims. She believes it’s important to address the issues from their report in order to help the community’s healing process as a way to move forward.
“Finding some help, and I would say giving it a try, even in that traditional therapeutic space,” Borkcom said. “At least try it to see if it helps.”
Memphis resident Cheryl Stemmer told ABC24 that despite the DOJ’s report, she still has confidence to call MPD when she’s in need of help.
“Well, number one because I’m white, and number two I’m not suffering from any mental health issues,” Stemmer said. “That’s kind of where the crooks comes in, is it being unfairly treated for who you appear to be.”
Officials with the U.S. Department of Justice said they hope the City of Memphis will continue working with them to address their recommendations. They said they’ll be coming back to Memphis for an in-person community meeting regarding their report on Dec. 18, 2024.
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