Department of Justice
The Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services has announced their first two community listening sessions, to be held Tuesday and Wednesday of next week.
The community meetings are part of a lengthy DOJ review of the Memphis Police Department’s community policing policies and policies regarding the use of deadly force. Citizens are encouraged to attend and voice their concerns with representatives from the COPS office.
The partnership of the MPD and the COPS program was announced last month by Chief Noble Wray with the COPS office, Memphis mayor Jim Strickland, U.S. Attorney Edward Stanton III, and MPD director Michael Rallings, who all emphasized that the partnership was sought by Memphis officials.
At the time, Rallings said of the decision, “We want to improve. And, in order to improve… you have to open yourself up.
The first community meeting is at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Midtown, on November 29 from 6:00p.m.-9:00p.m.. The second meeting is on November 30, at the Hickory Hill Community Center from 5:00-8:00 p.m.
