Did Trump’s return prompt the release of DOJ report on MPD?
The last U.S. Justice Department review of the Memphis Police Department never made it to the public.
And the timing of the decision that scrapped the report in 2017 is similar to the political environment surrounding the DOJ report released Wednesday, Dec. 4.
The release of the Justice Department report on its investigation into MPD and the city’s refusal — at least for now — to sign off on a plan for federal oversight of the police department comes about a month and a half before President-elect Donald Trump takes office again.
The first question at Thursday’s DOJ press conference on the new report was whether it was released in anticipation of Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration.
Topics
U.S. Justice Department Memphis Police Department Reagan Fondren Paul Young Earle J. Fisher Subscriber OnlyThank you for supporting local journalism.
Subscribers to The Daily Memphian help fund our not-for-profit newsroom of nearly 40 local journalists plus more than 20 freelancers, all of whom work around the clock to cover the issues impacting our community. Subscriptions - and donations - also help fund our community access programs which provide free access to K-12 schools, community organizations, and more. Thank you for making our work possible.
Bill Dries on demand
Never miss an article. Sign up to receive Bill Dries' stories as they’re published.
Enter your e-mail address
Bill Dries
Bill Dries covers city and county government and politics. He is a native Memphian and has been a reporter for more than 40 years.
News Stream
DOJ: MPD uses ‘needless force’ with kids
A report from the U.S. Department of Justice found “serious concerns” with the Memphis Police Department’s “treatment of children and the lasting impact of police encounters on their wellbeing and resilience.” Officers arrested and handcuffed children as young as 8 years old.
What the DOJ said about how MPD responds to mental-health crises
Issues that the Memphis Police Department’s Crisis Intervention Team faces include using “unnecessary force” and escalating encounters during mental-health calls, according to the report.
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.