Following the U.S. Department of Justice's review of the Memphis Police Department (MPD), the City of Memphis has appointed former federal Judge Bernice Donald to oversee changes at MPD. The 17-month federal investigation, triggered by the death of Tyre Nichols after a traffic stop, found that MPD regularly used excessive force and discriminated against Black residents, according to Action News 5.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young and Chief Legal Officer Tannera Gibson expressed confidence in former federal Judge Bernice Donald, highlighting her neutrality and experience in civil rights law, after deciding against entering a costly consent decree with the DOJ. However, community activist Earl Fisher disagreed, advocating for a consent decree to ensure oversight. In a statement to WREG, Fisher said, "We want a level of oversight and regulatory force that we don’t trust the city to implement, in and of itself."
Donald will lead a nine-person taskforce responsible for creating an action plan and ensuring community involvement. The city has not yet disclosed the budget for the initiative but has emphasized plans to secure necessary resources and expertise. City Councilman Jeff Warren told WREG, "Hiring a judge as a consultant and looking over our processes to make sure we’re continuing to constantly improve is a great idea for the city. And it’s a whole lot less expensive than undergoing a consent decree. This could cost us millions and millions of dollars every year."
The DOJ's findings highlighted regular civil rights abuses by MPD, and Memphis' response aims to address these issues without federal oversight. "We are committed to fostering a transparent and effective community response and believe this task force will ensure that every voice is heard. Together, we will develop a comprehensive action plan that meets the needs of our residents," Mayor Young said in a release cited by Local Memphis. Gibson also stated, "Judge Donald's extensive experience and impartiality make her the ideal leader for this work."
The DOJ, which can still sue to enforce reforms if Memphis' efforts are deemed insufficient, declined to comment on Judge Donald's appointment.
