Guest Column: Police residency issue is the key to recruitment, retention
Bill Gibbons
Bill Gibbons is president of the Memphis Shelby Crime Commission and executive director of the Public Safety Institute at the University of Memphis. Previously, he was commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security and district attorney for Shelby County. He has also served on the Memphis City Council and the Shelby County Board of Commissioners.
Opinion: Loosening the residency requirement for both the Memphis Police Department and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office is not the sole answer to the law enforcement shortage, but it is a needed and effective tool in recruitment and retention efforts.
Related stories
House panel passes ban on residency requirements for police, firefighters
Memphis Democrats objected, primarily because most of the bill’s sponsors are not Memphians.
Council opposes state bills dropping police residency requirements
The council debate was underway as state legislators were debating in Nashville. The common factor in both discussions was Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis, who backed the bill in Nashville while outlining strategies to hire more officers who live in Memphis.
Bill seeks to treat gun violence as a public health issue
A bill by state Rep. London Lamar would require data sharing between police departments and the state health department, and would require TDH to produce an annual report on the public health impacts of gun violence.
Comments
Want to comment on our stories? If you’re a subscriber, scroll down to the comments. If you’re not a subscriber, only paid subscribers can add their thoughts, so subscribe now. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.