On Tuesday, January 9, 2024, a Memphis City Council committee voted to replace Memphis Police Department Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis by a vote of 7-6.
“I think you saw the council trying to do what’s right for the people,” Councilman JB Smiley Jr. told the Commercial Appeal afterward.
“I don’t think anyone operated with ill intent. People just want to know that our streets are safe. For too long, we’ve essentially allowed things to happen. This council will operate differently because we’re going to take an active role in what happens going forward.”
The decision to reject Davis’s reappointment arrived 364 days after the death of Tyre Nichols. On January 7, 2023, Nichols was the subject of a stop by the department’s Scorpion Unit, which was established after Davis took over as police chief. During the stop, officers reportedly began hitting Nichols with a stun gun, pepper spraying him, punching him and kicking him. Three days later, Nichols was pronounced dead at 29 years old and shortly thereafter, video of the stop was made public. Seven of the officers involved in the incident were fired and five were criminally charged in connection to the stop.
While Davis has come faced intense criticism since the incident, she has been able to retain her position as police chief. In fact, Memphis Mayor Paul Young has remained steadfast in his support of her to keep the job.
“We are going to do the things to strengthen our police department because this community is demanding it,” Young said.
“Make no mistake, all of our fates revolve around us getting this right. As I said in the beginning, I am going to be accountable to you all. If we’re not getting the results that we need, and we deserve, we’ll go another way. But right now, I firmly believe that we have the right person and I stand behind that.”
Davis is will have one more opportunity to retain her job as police chief. The full Memphis City Council will vote on her job in the coming days.
