Memphis Police Chief Faces Uphill Battle to Keep Job

This is not the final vote on Davis’ reappointment — the matter must go to the full city council for a final vote in regular session, in two weeks. There are signs Davis will not have the support to keep her job.

by Staff

January 10, 2024

Memphis Police Chief Faces Uphill Battle to Keep Job

Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn C.J. Davis could soon be looking for another post. A city council committee voted not to reappoint her this week. She faces another vote from the full council later this month.

Credit:

Memphis PD

2 min to read

A motion to reappoint Police Chief Cerelyn C.J. Davis to her post failed 6-7 in a non-binding Memphis City Council committee recommendation Tuesday after some tough questions from council members.

This is not the final vote on Davis’ reappointment — the matter must go to the full city council for a final vote in regular session, in two weeks, WREG reports. There are signs Davis will not have the support to keep her job.

Davis took heat for creating the SCORPION Unit, a special force within MPD that was disbanded after its members were involved in the death of Tyre Nichols. Davis said the unit already existed at MPD when she came to Memphis. Her role was changing its name and changing the entrance requirements for officers assigned to it.

Council chairman JB Smiley says now that Davis’ reappointment has failed a committee vote, he believes the council is ready for a new direction.

“We can’t do things the way we’ve always done and expect different results,” he said.

New council member Jeri Green, a former public defender, says Davis has so far failed to provide a vision for action in the wake of a crime wave that has plagued Memphis. The department’s solve rate for homicides is below 50% and lower for property crimes, she said.

Davis retired as deputy chief in Atlanta before she was appointed chief of the police department in Durham, N.C. She was appointed chief in Memphis in 2021.

Topics:Police Chiefs Tennessee agencies Command