Since her inception, Memphis Police Chief, Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis has brought about a shift in the department’s perspective of public safety, especially in light of growing criminal activities during the pandemic. She acknowledged that standard crime statistics will not ring true for someone who still encounters issues in safety or is startled by nightly gunfire despite a 24 percent or 20 percent decline in crime.
She further emphasized that the government officials are aware of the community’s need for better safety measures. To cater to this need, Chief Davis is fostering strong partnerships with the district attorney’s office of Shelby County, the sheriff’s department, and local police chiefs to provide a unified and efficient approach towards combating crime across the entire justice system
She introduced the innovative strategy, ‘Code Zero’, which goes beyond customary law enforcement. This enhanced law enforcement model does not singularly focus on apprehending culprits but also addresses the community problems intensifying crime like dilapidated communities and disturbance causing properties.
Davis has faith that if the city’s code enforcement team teamed up to deal with deserted or fire-ravished houses, which are crime hotspots, it would lead to an ideal situation. With the support of Mayor Young, Deputy Davis argues that their combined efforts could provide sustainable solutions like court programs to reclaim trouble property.
To improve overall public safety, the enhanced categorization, observation and analysis of criminal activities have become a crucial part of Memphis Police Department’s practices. They aim to track repeat offenders and pinpoint individuals who cause a larger share of criminal behavior, with the intent of steering them into group violence prevention programs or bringing them to justice to deter future felonies.
MPD’s new tactic includes usage of data to deal with hidden incidents of domestic violence. Davis shared that traffic regulation enforcement has become an integral part of the city’s larger public safety agenda. A cooperative effort with the Tennessee Highway Patrol is in place to aggressively go after major traffic contraventions.
Such collaboration helps to reduce accidents and enhance road safety, directly confronting dangerous driving behaviors that cause distress among community members. In terms of modernization, Davis elaborates that the Memphis Police Department has started to weave civilians into its operational style in order to enhance investigations.
One pivotal change has been the inclusion of new roles such as ‘homicide analysts’, individuals with strong skills in statistics, within investigative teams. This shift frees up sworn officers, allowing them to perform other vital parts of investigations, conduct patrols, and more effectively engage with the community.
While she holds moderate hope about the effectiveness of state and federal legislation, policies and grants, Davis heavily underscores the continued commitment of MPD to placing an immediate focus on the community needs whilst maintaining high public service standards.
In parallel, she highlights improvements in MPD’s internal accountability system and dealing more transparently with severe incidents. This change mirrors widespread transformations observed locally and nationwide following Tyre Nichol’s murder.
Last but not least, she speaks about the dedication some officers demonstrate, which goes beyond their uniform. As per Davis, like other people, these officers are first and foremost community members and they share the same reactions of hurt, anger and worry due to such incidents.
Moreover, Chief Davis adds that such an improved concentration on comprehensive, community-centric policing symbolizes a commitment. The commitment ensures that along with bettering crime statistics, locals will truly experience a sense of security.