Louis Goggans
Protesters called for a stronger CLERB in an April protest.
The Memphis City Council gave teeth to the Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board [CLERB] Tuesday with a vote Tuesday that has been delayed for months.
New language governing the CLERB gives the organization more power and more tools to investigate civilian disputes against Memphis Police Department [MPD] officers.
The council voted to delay the final vote for CLERB in August, pushing to after the October 8 election. That move was criticized by many as being politically motivated.
Council members Kemp Conrad and Reid Hedgepeth were the only two members to vote against the ordinance during the council meeting Tuesday evening.
The vote came after nearly an hour of comments from the public supporting the CLERB ordinance.
Pastor Ralph White is the chairman of the CLERB. He urged the council to vote on the ordinance without further delay.
“I love the police and have no vendetta against them but with everything going on in this city and the nation we need a civilian review board,” White said.
Michael Crouse said it simply: “Police policing the police does not work.”
