There are 53 article(s) tagged Floyd Bonner:

• September 2025

  • Former Sheriff Bill Oldham dies

    Oldham served as both the head of the Memphis Police Department as well as the Shelby County sheriff during a lengthy career in law enforcement.

    By Jody Callahan September 05, 2025

• August 2025

  • ‘We know we need a new jail': Commission reacts to ambitious Firestone jail plan

    While most county commissioners support building a new jail, not all of them agree on where its built, who pays for it and who’s included. 

    Related story:

    New jail targets Firestone site, aims to move more than jail

    By Bill Dries August 07, 2025

• January 2025

  • Ouster attempts, off-the-ballot action and other highlights: 2024 Political Roundup

    The year in politics was topped by the presidential general election and several local election races that warmed political fires left untended by the distant campaign for president. The top political stories of 2024 also include the transition from elections to governing for other leaders.

    By Bill Dries January 02, 2025

• December 2024

  • Juvenile Court sues Sheriff’s Office

    Juvenile Court filed a lawsuit Tuesday requesting the Shelby County Chancery Court stop the Sheriff’s Office from terminating its oversight of Shelby County’s juvenile-detention center.

    By Laura Testino December 31, 2024

• September 2024

  • County Commission delays vote to fund sheriff’s ‘emergency’ jail repairs

    Sheriff Floyd Bonner wants $15.5 million for jail repairs that’s already planned for a mental health diversion center. The County Commission is sending the problem to committee for a possible Sept. 28 vote.

    By Bill Dries September 09, 2024

• August 2024

  • Federal judge dismisses lawsuit against Floyd Bonner

    The suit was filed by the family of Deion Byrd, an inmate at the Shelby County Jail who died after being stabbed by another inmate at 201 Poplar.

    By Aarron Fleming August 16, 2024

• June 2024

  • Mayor Harris talks about the compromises of county budget season

    Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris breaks down how county commissioners settled amid budget season, including keeping vacant positions on the books and local opposition to the Regional One Health rebuild. 

    By Bill Dries June 21, 2024

• May 2024

  • County Commission to get legal advice on cutting unfilled Sheriff’s Office positions

    The County Commission has several Shelby County Sheriff’s Office items to vote on Monday, from emergency money for new jail door locks to calling for collaboration on what happens next at the juvenile detention center on Old Getwell Road.

    By Bill Dries May 19, 2024

  • Sheriff Bonner talks about taking county to court over budget proposal

    “We consider it to be defunding police,” a Shelby County Sheriff’s Office official said of a proposed budget that cuts 441 vacant positions from the Sheriff’s office, a $31.4 million impact. 

    By Bill Dries May 15, 2024

• November 2023

  • Chief jailer seeks to dismiss himself from Gershun Freeman civil suit

    One of the defendants in the civil wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of an inmate who died last year at the Shelby County Jail has filed to dismiss himself from the suit.

    By Aarron Fleming November 10, 2023

• October 2023

  • Calkins: A new mayor and a new dog, too? Things are looking up!

    Paul Young will be the new mayor of Memphis. And you should feel optimistic about that. Yes, optimistic. It may have gone out of fashion. But Young just might bring it back. 

    By Geoff Calkins October 06, 2023

  • The runoff what-if and other takeaways from election night

    With no runoff to face, Paul Young will become the next Memphis mayor with just over 27% of the vote. And that doesn’t even factor in the low turnout for Thursday’s election.

    By Samuel Hardiman October 06, 2023

  • Attack ads blanket the airwaves in the home stretch of Memphis mayor’s race

    Two polls made public – one in August and one in early September – showed essentially a four-way race for mayor among Floyd Bonner, Willie Herenton, Van Turner and Paul Young.

    By Samuel Hardiman October 04, 2023

  • Ban on pretextual traffic stops comes up one vote short on County Commission

    The Shelby County Commission gave final approval Monday, Oct. 2, to a pair of ordinances calling on the Shelby County Sheriff to collect data on specialized units as well as traffic stops, use of force and citizen complaints. It rejected an ordinance asking the Sheriff’s Office to ban pretextual traffic stops.

    By Bill Dries, Julia Baker October 03, 2023

• September 2023

  • Mayoral candidate Bonner says he’d ‘bring a unique perspective’ to managing the police

    The full “Behind The Headlines” interview with Shelby County Sheriff and mayoral contender Floyd Bonner Jr. includes the candidate saying his law enforcement background will directly affect his relationship with whoever he would appoint as police director.

    By Bill Dries September 23, 2023

  • Bonner claims Freeman video release was illegal and politically motivated

    “That video should not have been released,” Bonner said in an interview on the WKNO-TV program “Behind The Headlines.”

    By Bill Dries, Samuel Hardiman September 21, 2023

• August 2023

  • Gibson calls Bonner’s leadership ‘weak and ineffective’

    Memphis Mayoral contender J.W. Gibson is the latest in the race to challenger Floyd Bonner Jr. on recent deaths at the Shelby County Jail during Bonner’s tenure as sheriff.

    By Bill Dries August 22, 2023

  • Calkins: It’s the most important election in years, Memphis. Time to study up!

    Here’s what we learned about those who showed up Tuesday for the Memphis mayoral debate. 

    By Geoff Calkins August 16, 2023

  • The lights are on, but are Floyd Bonner and Van Turner home?

    The two mayoral candidates purchased homes within Memphis in the months before a ruling cleared the way for them to run for mayor despite a five-year residency requirement.

    By Samuel Hardiman August 13, 2023

• July 2023

  • Political Roundup: Bonner HQ opening draws protesters

    Floyd Bonner responded to the protesters outside his headquarters and talked about changing state law if necessary to curb youth violence. Meanwhile, everyone’s talking about the field of 19 in the mayor’s race and its impact on who wins.

    By Bill Dries July 23, 2023

  • Political Roundup: Herenton opens HQ, Turner takes on Bonner and more

    Also, Councilwoman Cheyenne Johnson calls off her campaign for a second term in favor of Janika White, a contender in last year’s Democratic primary for Shelby County District Attorney General.

    By Bill Dries July 17, 2023

  • Paul Young tops Q2 fundraising in Memphis mayor’s race

    Rival contender Floyd Bonner Jr. raised the second-highest amount but spent far less than Young, while J.W. Gibson topped the field in total spending. 

    By Bill Dries July 12, 2023

• June 2023

  • Bonner makes first mayoral forum appearance as crime, change dominate discussion

    The forum at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church drew nine candidates and a crowd of more than 100 Thursday, June 8.

    By Bill Dries June 08, 2023

• April 2023

  • Opinion: The next mayor of Memphis should be a Memphian

    “Memphis should be led by someone who actually lives here, is committed to the city, and has demonstrated that commitment throughout their career.”

    By John Carroll April 27, 2023

• March 2023

  • Polling data shows Memphis mayoral contest is ‘anyone’s game’

    An early unaffiliated poll shows Memphis NAACP President Van Turner, former mayor Willie Herenton and Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. tightly bunched at the top of the crowded Memphis mayoral race.

    By Samuel Hardiman March 16, 2023