Hundreds of Memphis Police Dept. employees disciplined last year, report shows
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Hundreds of Memphis Police Department employees were disciplined last year, including 133 police officers who were suspended, according to a report by an internal watchdog that investigates allegations of police misconduct.
The report from MPD’s Inspectional Services Bureau says 428 department employees were disciplined last year.
ISB says 173 MPD employees were suspended including 133 police officers. The report says 33 MPD employees resigned, including 20 police officers.
The report, which is posted on the city’s ReImagine Police in Memphis website, doesn’t provide a reason why the employees were disciplined.
Earle Fisher, a Memphis pastor and community activist, says the report raises more questions than it answers.
“This is not some independent audit. This is what they choose to self-disclose,” said Fisher. “It is an uphill battle to try to get the level of accountability and transparency. That’s going to be required to give the community the type of confidence in needs and law enforcement.”
On Monday WMC Action News 5 emailed Memphis Police to see if they could fill in some of the blanks and provide some context.
The station followed up with MPD on Tuesday but still didn’t hear anything back.
On Wednesday morning, WMC emailed the mayor’s office. A spokesperson said someone from MPD would get back to us.
Fisher says he also has questions he’d like answered.
“What does it mean that of the 428 infractions, 33 people were able to resign, which could possibly mean they deserve to be fired,” said Fisher.
He says it’s just one more reason city officials need to make good on years of promises.
“Until we see structural symbolic, institutional and organizational changes, I don’t have much confidence in what amounts to lip service at this point,” said Fisher.
Previous ISB reports are also posted online but they do not contain any information about disciplinary data.
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