Tag: Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland

Categories
News News Blog

Nonprofits Call Out Officials’ Non-Response to Demands on Equality, Justice

A Black-led coalition of nonprofit leaders called out elected officials Monday morning for failing to take “tangible” action to address systemic inequalities and racial injustice.

At a press conference in front of Memphis City Hall, the heads of local nonprofits reiterated the demands in an open letter that the coalition sent to elected officials earlier this month.

The letter urged officials to take steps to address police brutality, over-policing, poverty wages, education, and systemic racism.

[pdf-1]

“While a few have responded with language of good intentions, no one has hit the mark,” said Sarah Lockridge-Steckel, CEO of The Collective Blueprint. “Many haven’t responded to the demands at all.”

Lockridge-Steckel said the coalition is still awaiting a detailed response from the Memphis City Council, the Shelby County Commission, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, Memphis Police Department (MPD) Director Michael Rallings, Sheriff Floyd Bonner, and District Attorney Amy Weirich.

Lockridge-Steckel said the group’s demands fall into three key areas. The first relates to over-policing, police brutality, and police accountability.

“Policies are a small piece of this work, especially when we have Memphis police officers on camera violating their own policies,” Lockridge-Steckel said of officials’ recent commitment to following “8 Can’t Wait” policies.

Lockridge-Steckel also said that the promised investment in the Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB) “likely amounts to less than $100,000,” noting that Nashville invests $1.5 million a year into its civilian review board.

“We appreciate the city adding CLERB subpoena powers to its legislative agenda for next year, but in the meantime we demand that Mayor Strickland and MPD director Michael Rallings provide access to the records requested by CLERB so that CLERB can serve its purpose,” Lockridge-Steckel said. “The public must have transparency.”

The group is also urging the city council and MPD to develop a process to share data on violations within the police department and the actions taken as a response.

“Most immediately, we demand the officers that use excessive force at recent protests are held accountable,” Lockridge-Steckel said. “Lastly, a great concern was the non-committal response by Director Rallings about dropping the charges of protesters. We renew our call that all charges be dropped against people who are exercising their First Amendment right to a peaceful protest.”

The second area of demands relate to economic justice and creating a city “where everyone can thrive,” Lockridge-Steckel said. “We can’t say we care about poverty, that 50 percent of our children live in poverty in our city today, and not be willing to address the wages and jobs our people have.”

The coalition is asking that the Greater Memphis Chamber track data on how much corporations are paying and “how they are treating their employees.”

Additionally, the group is urging the Chamber, along with the city and county, to issue a living wage pledge, asking corporations to pay living wages and ensure temporary employees have benefits and health insurance.

Finally, the group demands a reprioritization of the city’s and county’s budget: “We ask the city and county to renew its investments in education, from tech education to arts education.”

Additionally, the group is calling for an end to “predatory practices,” such as “exuberant court costs.”

“All we have heard is silence,” Lockridge-Steckel said. “We demand that we move toward participatory budgeting processes.”

Lockridge-Steckel notes that the city’s police budget “continues to grow.” MPD recently received a $9.8 million grant from the Department of Justice that Lockridge-Steckel said should go toward crisis intervention and community health solutions.

“We need solutions that speak to the needs of our communities,” she said.

Natalie McKinney, executive director of Whole Child Strategies, said it is the responsibility “as nonprofit leaders, to hold our city and county officials accountable for protecting and serving its people.”

“We must make them commit to acting in favor of equity, in favor of justice, and in favor of transparency to everyone they hope to represent,” she said “We want them to act responsibly, to rely on accurate and transparent data and proven practices, but to also move swiftly and deliberately toward a new agenda for Memphis.”

McKinney said the group will continue to apply pressure to elected officials to “drive this work forward.” The coalition will do that by creating task forces to address economic equity, criminal justice reform, and budget accountability.

“This is just the beginning,” McKinney said. “We ask for allies to stand with us in this movement. And as allies, we are asking you to recruit and to lift up an authentic voice of your Black and brown community members. Too often lawmakers and policymakers drive forward with ideas targeting these communities without ever hearing any real input from the people that would have the lived experience.”

Finally, McKinney asked that the public reach out to elected officials and urge a response to the coalition’s demands.

“We cannot let more lives be lost to violence, to poverty, and to systemic racism,” McKinney said. “It is our hope that in four years rather than lamenting the same challenges, we are celebrating the results of these changes.”

Categories
News News Blog

Clergy Members ‘Upset’ by Mayor’s Claim of Consensus on Police Reform

CREDIT: Brandon Dill

Brandon Dill

Michael Rallings with crowd during protest

A group of black clergy members said they were “surprised and upset” by city officials’ Thursday press conference in which they laid out steps to reform the Memphis Police Department (MPD).

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland told the public Thursday that over the past four weeks his administration has been meeting with clergy members and other concerned citizens to discuss ways to improve MPD.

City officials announced that the group has reached a consensus around five reforms, which include:

• MPD updated its policies to include the sentiment of “8 Can’t Wait”

• Made improvements to the Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB), including enhancing communication with the public, providing training for CLERB members and staff, and reviewing the request for members to have subpoena powers

• Started posting board opportunities on the city website

• Began discussions with the Memphis Police Association to look for opportunities to strengthen language in the memoranda of understanding between the city and association to ensure that officers will be held accountable when using excessive force

• Looking to partner with community activists to improve implicit bias, cultural awareness, and cultural diversity training for MPD officers

However, a number of clergy members who participated in the meetings said in a statement Friday that a consensus had not been reached. They also called meetings with officials “frustrating” and “disappointing.”

“As African-American clergy who participated in the meetings, we found the discussions to be frustrating and disappointing overall, characterized largely by those who represent the power structures of Memphis claiming that the processes in place are sufficient,” the statement reads.

“The five reforms presented to us June 24th, the date of the last meeting, stopped far short of the substantive changes we had requested in calling for a reimagined police department. Though the administration couched these reforms as an agreement, we did not, in fact, agree to them. Rather, they demonstrated to us the administration’s lack of courage and appetite for making Memphis truly more equitable for all.”

The statement is signed by Gina Stewart, Revs. Stacy Spencer, Keith Norman, Melvin Watkins, Earle Fisher, J. Lawrence Turner, and Chris Davis, as well as Bishops Ed Stephens Jr. and Linwood Dillard.

The clergy members also noted that none of those who were involved in the meetings were invited to Thursday’s press conference and were not aware that it was taking place.

[pullquote-1]

“Unfortunately, this typifies the tepid spirit of our recent interactions with the administration,” the clergy members said. “What was dressed up for the public yesterday as reform was, in our opinion, reinforcement of the status quo. We continue to be open to taking part in the pursuit of meaningful police reform in Memphis, which people in the streets and throughout the city are clamoring for. But we expect substantive dialogue, genuine agreement, and concrete steps toward major change in the way police interact with the residents of our city.”

Turner, the pastor at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, said he has some concerns and reservations about the five reforms announced yesterday. He also says they “aren’t enough.”

Specifically, Turner said he’s concerned about the statements officials made related to the “8 Can’t Wait” policies. He questions whether or not MPD is in “complete alignment” with the policies.

For example, MPD director Michael Rallings said Thursday that the department has banned chokeholds, but Turner said that the topic was a “source of considerable conversation” during the meetings with officials.

“The way it was discussed in our meetings is as if this is something MPD is particularly open to outright banning,” he said. “If they were really challenged on all the ‘8 Can’t Wait’ policies, I don’t really think that they could really produce proof that they align with all eight; maybe five at best.

Turner also said there needs to be more clarity around CLERB reforms, as well as more empowerment for the board.

“CLERB needs more than more dollars for marketing and communication,” he said. “It needs to be empowered and taken seriously.”

The mayor mentioned Thursday that reviewing CLERB’s subpoena power would be added to the city’s legislative agenda, but Turner says it needs to be a “top priority.”


Ultimately, Turner said the city and county need to take a more comprehensive look at reforming policing “in a way that is reflective of Memphis’ citizenry.” This process, if done right, should take at least six to 12 months, he said. 

“Yesterday, it was made to seem like we had completed the meetings, but the conversation is not over,” Turner said. “Let’s make a real investment in reimagining policing in Memphis and Shelby County.”


Categories
News News Blog

Strickland Says He Opposes Defunding Police Department

CREDIT: Brandon Dill

Brandon Dill

Mayor Jim Strickland

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said Wednesday he is against defunding the Memphis Police Department.

As the national conversation about defunding police departments heats up, Strickland released a statement expressing his stance. Here is what the mayor had to say:

“I’m opposed to defunding our police department,” Strickland said. “Over the last four and half years, we’ve increased funding to libraries, community centers, made summer camps free, created Manhood University, W.O.W.S, and the Public Service Corps for those who need second chances, and came up with a way to fund universal needs-based pre-K, but we still have more work to do.

“With our city’s fight against violent crime, I believe cutting funding from the Memphis Police Department is unwise. And frankly, it’s out of touch with the majority of city residents. The New York Times completed a poll recently, and it showed that only 1 percent of Americans favor defunding the police.

“For context here locally, last year during my campaign the number one issue with Memphis voters was crime, and the overwhelming majority of citizens were supportive of hiring more officers, and voted to increase the taxes they pay to do it.”


Categories
News News Blog

Model Predicts Fewer COVID-19 Deaths in U.S., But Strickland Prepares ‘for Worst’


A forecasting model by the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation released Sunday predicts fewer COVID-19 fatalities in the country than first anticipated, but Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said that won’t change the way the city is responding to the pandemic. 

The forecast predicts that between now and early August, 81,766 people in the country will die of the disease, compared to the original prediction of 93,531 deaths. The new predictions are based on new data related to the number of hospital beds and ventilators that will be needed to address the pandemic.

The model predicts the peak in cases would occur close to April 15th or 16th in Tennessee and that hospitals would not reach capacity.

At the first update of the city and county joint COVID-19 task force, Strickland said Monday that this prediction does not change the city’s preparation “for the worst.”

“I think we certainly hope for the best, but plan for the worst,” the mayor said. “Even if you take the study that was released today as accurate, that doesn’t mean we need to stop doing what we’re doing. The public still needs to practice social distancing because I think that’s a part of the formulas they’ve used.”

Strickland said the health department is working on their own modeling, in conjunction with Vanderbilt University.

Dr. Bruce Randolph, Shelby County health officer, said the county is anticipating a surge “within a couple of weeks or so,” and is in communication with hospitals in preparation of that surge.

Ultimately, Strickland said the city will rely on advice and predictions from local doctors “here on the ground.”

As for supplies, Strickland said hospitals here have what they need “for today, and tomorrow, and for some days ahead of us. But when that surge comes, we’ve got to plan for that.”

The task force is working to purchase PPE for hospitals, as well as for city and county first responders, Strickland said.

Strickland said the state will likely announce a second care facility in Memphis later Monday. The state said Sunday that it would be opening a facility here on Jackson Avenue.

The mayor said the task force has “worked very hard to expand testing” and is looking to open more sites, including mobile testing sites.

“It is my opinion that the number one thing our task force can do is increase the number of individuals tested, isolate those who have tested positive, and then quarantine all their contact.”

The mobile testing sites are being organized, in part, to serve Memphis’ homeless population, Strickland said.

The mayor said the homeless population is “top of mind.” The task force is coordinating with a number of agencies to make sure the homeless population is able to shelter in place. The group has secured two hotels with a total of 60 rooms serving homeless women and families for the next 30 days.

They are now working to secure additional hotel rooms for homeless men.

The mayor also announced Monday that the city’s Stay at Home Order will be extended through April 21st. Strickland said law enforcement and code officials are currently calling on businesses who are not complying to the order. Additionally, courtesy crews of city employees are monitoring city parks to make sure people understand the order to social distance.

So far, Strickland said 140 businesses have been reported, and 134 of those have been contacted by the city. All but one of the businesses have agreed to comply. The non-complying business is being shut down, the mayor said.

On Sunday, the Memphis Police Department received 41 calls related to crowd violations and 15 calls related to violations at churches.

“I’m very happy to report that most people in Memphis are complying with the Safer at Home orders,” Strickland said. “But we need all of us to do that.”

Categories
News News Blog

Strickland to Restrict Use of City Parks

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said Monday afternoon that the city will be limiting access to public parks beginning Tuesday morning.

This comes as hundreds of people have been flocking to city parks as the temperatures rise in the city. Last week, many noticed the large crowds of park-goers and took to social media to express concern.

Friday, Strickland ordered the closing of all city soccer and baseball fields, basketball courts, as well as dog and skate parks.

Now, Strickland is moving to limit the number of people in parks, by restricting the number of cars allowed in parks. To aid this effort, Riverside Drive and “as many roads in and around parks that the fire marshal will let me” will close.

[pullquote-1]

The mayor also reiterated that “no groups of people will be allowed to congregate in our parks.”

“Over the past several days, especially as we’ve had nicer weather, more people have been getting outside,” Strickland said. “That alone is not a bad thing. In fact, doctors even recommend it in these times. That said, it does become a huge problem when people disregard the importance of social distancing. … Unfortunately, some people are not taking this seriously. And for the health of our city, they must start now. What happened this weekend at a couple of parks in the city is reckless, irresponsible, and selfish.”

To help enforce the new restrictions, Strickland said there will be city employees at parks throughout the city monitoring crowds.

“These new restrictions are designed to allow people to walk or run through their neighborhood park, but to prohibit people from congregating in large groups,” the mayor said.


Categories
News News Blog

Strickland Orders Memphians to Stay Home

Mayor Strickland

Starting tomorrow at 6 p.m, Memphians will be ordered to stay at home.

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland announced the Safer at Home Initiative Monday at Memphis City Hall. Under the order, Memphians will be required to stay home unless they have essential health care or business needs. Essential needs include fire, police, grocery stores, and gas stations, Strickland said.

“Memphians are safer at home,” he said.

Strickland said to expect similar mandates the cities of Bartlett, Collierville, and Germantown later today.

He said we “are in serious, unprecedented times which call for decisive actions to keep everyone safe.” Strickland said he and his team have been meeting with health care officials and are basing action on data and recommendations from experts.

But he also had a dire warning.

“Things will get worse before they get better but they will get better,” Strickland said.

However, he said as mayor, there was only so much he could do to get through the coronavirus outbreak.

“There has to be some personal responsibility,” he said. “You must take social distancing seriously. You must stay home unless it is essential, pursuant to the order.

“If you don’t do it for yourself, do it for your grandparents, your mom and dad, your elderly neighbor, maybe a friend with health issues, or for the doctors and nurses treating those with the virus.”

Strickland said his Business and Infrastructure Task Force will be reaching out to industries here over the next two weeks to “find out how we can best help you and your business.”

Read the full order here: [pdf-2]


Here’s a helpful list on what this new order means from the mayor’s office:

YOU CAN:

 • Go to the grocery, convenience, or warehouse store

• Go to the pharmacy to pick up medications and other healthcare necessities

• Go to medical appointments (check with your doctor or provider first)

• Go to a restaurant for take-out, delivery or drive-thru

• Care for or support a friend or family member

• Take a walk, ride your bike, hike, jog and be in nature for exercise — just keep at least six feet between you and others.

• Walk your pets and take them to the veterinarian if necessary

• Help someone to get necessary supplies

• Receive deliveries from any business which delivers

YOU SHOULD NOT:

• Go to work unless you are providing essential services as defined by this order

• Visit friends and family if there is no urgent need

• Maintain less than 6 feet of distance from others when you go out

• Visit loved ones in the hospital, nursing home, skilled nursing facility or other residential care facility, except for limited exceptions as provided on the facility websites.

Here’s a list of what the mayor’s office considers essential and nonessential services:

[pdf-1]

Categories
News News Blog

Mayor Strickland Orders Closure of Restaurant Dining Rooms, Bars, Gyms

CREDIT: City of Memphis

City of Memphis

Strickland

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland is confirming what the Flyer reported earlier today: that he is declaring a state of civil emergency effective at midnight in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19 here.

The declaration will require all restaurants to only provide curbside or pick-up orders. In addition, the mayor is asking that all bars and gyms close, and for worship services to be streamed or postponed.

Read the mayor’s full executive order below.


Categories
News News Blog

Strickland: MPD on Track to Reach Target Number of Officers

CREDIT: Facebook/MPD

Facebook/MPD

The Memphis Police Department (MPD) is on track to have 2,100 officers by the end of the year, according to Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland.

That’s just 200 officers shy of the target number Strickland has pushed since taking office. The goal is to reach 2,300 officers by the end of 2020. 

In his weekly newsletter to constituents, Strickland said that because of improved recruiting efforts and increased officer pay — 9.75 percent to 11.75 percent since 2016 — the police department has been able to hire close to 450 new officers since he took office in 2016.

Strickland said, “we inherited a broken and ineffective system.”

The department hit a modern low in early 2017 with a force of 1,909 commissioned officers, but since then, numbers have been on the upswing. The department currently has 2,066 officers and two training classes in session with a total of 90 police recruits.

Strickland said that rebuilding MPD is one of the components of his administration’s strategy for long-time crime reduction.

“Overhauling the system to recruit better has been a herculean task — perhaps the most time-consuming of my tenure as your mayor,” Strickland said. “But, it’s important. For long-term crime reduction to take place, we must have a fully staffed police department.”

Facebook/MPD

128th Basic Recruit Class

MPD is now accepting applications for its Fall Academy through Friday, August 16th. The 131st Basic Recruit class begins on September 30th and wraps up February 28th.

“We are looking for highly dedicated and motivated candidates who enjoy serving their community and protecting others,” a press release from the city reads.

More information about joining MPD can be found here.

Categories
News News Blog

Officials Highlight Importance of Employment in Ex-Offender Reentry Process

Gov. Bill Lee speaks about helping ex-offenders find employment.

Officials gathered at the University of Memphis Tuesday to discuss the importance of helping those who’ve been incarcerated find employment.

The forum, organized by the Memphis Shelby County Crime Commission, the Public Safety Institute at the University of Memphis, the Greater Memphis Chamber, and the Tennessee Department of Corrections, was meant to help local employers connect with and hire ex-offenders.

Local employers heard from local and state officials, law enforcement, and organizations that assist in reentry through skills training, education, and support.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, who was at the forum, said that the way that the government assists formerly incarcerated individuals in the re-entry process has been a “long-time passion” of his. Lee said his administration has “made a strong commitment to the whole idea of criminal justice reform.”

Fifty percent of recently incarcerated men in the state commit another crime within the first three years of being released, and as a result return to prison, Lee said.

“The cost of doing nothing isn’t zero,” Lee said. “Victims pay the price. Families pay the price. Taxpayers pay the price. And there is a tremendous human costs added to all of that.”

Lee said his administration has a role to play, but “as much as state government can do, government is not the answer to solving the issues we face in society. It’s not the answer to criminal justice reform. ”

One of the other key players in the process of reentry is the private sector, Lee said. Without the private sector’s involvement, “we’re never going to get where we need to be.”

“Part of being tough on crime and smart on crime is finding ways for those who come out find meaningful employment and that’s what today’s about,” Lee said.

Lee, who said he’s “had a long history” with reentry efforts, was involved in a prison reentry program about 20 years ago, where he mentored men coming out of prison who were going back into society.

Through that, the governor said he learned how important the re-entry process is in reducing recidivism. “If we really want to reduce crime, then we need to reduce recidivism and one of the ways we do that is to strengthen our re-entry programs.”

“When we make re-entry more successful, we save taxpayers’ money because we lower the recidivism rate and ultimately lower the crime rate. We enhance workforce development through creating skilled workers. The key is connecting employers with those that are coming out and breaking down the stigma, making them understand that it’s a real opportunity for them.”

[pullquote-1]

Still, Lee said he believes that “we need to be tough on crime.”

“We need to be tough on violent offenders and crack down on those that are a threat to society,” Lee said. “We can do that and at the same time be smart in recognizing that once people have paid their penalty, they are coming out.

This is not a matter of being soft on those who are incarcerated. This is about those that are coming out and how it is that we make them successful in their re-entry so they don’t recommit a crime and have another victim and another taxpayer expense.”

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland was also at the symposium Tuesday. Like the governor, Strickland said since he was elected into office in 2016, one of his priorities has been reducing recidivism and helping ex-offenders get back on their feet.


“The importance of what we’re doing today cannot be understated,” Strickland said. “A big part of life is forgiveness, second chances, and lending a helping hand to those in need when and where we can. I’m a firm believer that what we’re working on here today will have a long-lasting impact on every neighborhood in our city.”

Strickland said helping those who’ve been incarcerated find better opportunities through employment will ultimately lower the crime rate and improve the greater Memphis economy.

This discussion comes the same day Lee ceremonially signed a bill into law that eliminates the $180 expungement fees for people with certain criminal charges to have their records cleared.

Lee officially signed the bill in May and it will take effect July 1st. Two years ago, former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam halved the fee from $360 to $180.

Lee said the latest measure is another effort to remove the barriers formerly-incarcerated Tennesseans face upon re-entry and help them find employment.

“We need to remove those obstacles for those who’ve served their sentences and paid the price for their crime,” Lee said. “We need to remove obstacles to make it easier for them to re-enter.”

I think anything we can do to remove a barrier for someone who has re-entered or in the process of working, trying to get their feet back under them, trying to be a taxpayer, instead of a tax taker, we improve their success rate and expungement fee reductions will improve that process.”

Categories
News News Blog

Leaving TVA Could Free up MLGW Funds for Infrastructure Improvements

CREDIT: MLGW

MLGW

Switching to another power supplier could help Memphis Light, Gas, and Water (MLGW) save money in one area, and invest in another, such as infrastructure, which could reduce power outages in the long run, says Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland.

After heavy storms hit Memphis on May 18th, approximately 27,000 MLGW customers were without power and some didn’t have it restored until Tuesday, May 21st. Strickland said in his weekly newsletter last week that that’s “unacceptable.”

“First, let’s talk about power outages,” Strickland wrote. “We had too many of them for too long after Saturday night’s storm. It’s unacceptable. So, how to fix it?”

The mayor said the city’s electric infrastructure is “old and in dire need of an overhaul.”

However, Strickland said that’s a “high-dollar endeavor,” and paying for infrastructure upgrades would be a challenge.

To that end, the mayor said the city is “serious about the possibility of finding major savings” that could come as a result of a switch from the Tennessee Valley Authority to a new power supplier with lower rates.

Strickland said switching could save MLGW money that would fund new infrastructure.

Infrastructure includes everything from poles, wires, transformers, and the metering system, said MLGW CEO and president J.T. Young.

[pullquote-2]

Young discussed similar infrastructure concerns Thursday during a Facebook Live discussion, but said that improving infrastructure will not reduce all outages.


Young said the infrastructure challenges that we have are to some degree significant, but that when severe weather like the May 18th storm hits Memphis, “we were going to experience outages regardless of the type of infrastructure.”

But, Young said the upgrades that the utility is planning would minimize the number and length of outages.

“I think the perception might be that nothing’s been done over the past several years with our system,” Young said. “When things break, we replace them. That costs money.”

Looking at past budgets and data, Young said MLGW has invested “quite a bit” of both capital and operational funds into maintaining the system.

“I would equate it to maintaining your car,” Young said. “You take it in every so many miles and you get oil changes and those kinds of things, but you really don’t do an overhaul of your engine or transmission or what have you, except for rare situations.”

Young said this is that rare occasion in which much of the utility’s system is in need of an overhaul.

“We’ve got some very, very old equipment,” Young said. “You can maintain equipment, which is what we’ve done and I think our folks have done a great job at keeping the system up and running, but it is certainly time to make some major investment in equipment.”

[pullquote-1]

Some of those investments will be put into automated services, underground cable repairs, and tree trimming, which will result in fewer outages, Young said.


“We just know it’s time to make some rather significant investments from a preventative standpoint, where we will not have to be reacting all of the time,” Young said. “Now it’s time to make some much needed investments so we aren’t always being reactive.”

In the meantime, as summer approaches, customers can expect more storms, Young said.

“No matter what type of infrastructure we have, we’re going to have outages,” Young said. “The resilience of our infrastructure is important, but even with the most resilient infrastructure, you will have occasional outages.”

When outages occur, Young said the utility moves “as quickly as we can” into the restoration process because “we know we don’t just deliver electricity.

“We are delivering hope. When you don’t have power, you really feel like sometimes you don’t have hope, especially the longer it goes.”