Can MPD fairly police its officers?
Internal investigators used in excessive force cases
Can the Memphis Police Department fairly investigate allegations of excessive force against its own officers?
It’s a years-old question that has taken on new relevance after recent protests in Memphis over the George Floyd killing. Video cameras caught Memphis Police Department officers in two notable interactions with female protesters in May: In one video, an officer with a riot shield appears to knock down a woman; in a video taken on another night, officers appear to tackle another woman.
After publication of the videos, Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland told MPD Director Michael Rallings to investigate. The MPD said this week that internal investigations related to these matters are ongoing.
So what do these internal investigations look like? The Commercial Appeal recently reviewed public records that offer clues: summaries of 18 excessive force investigations completed in 2019.
The files show internal investigators usually conducted interviews, reviewed video and other evidence, then cleared the officers.
In two cases, internal investigators found officers had violated excessive force rules. In 16 cases, investigators cleared officers of excessive force. In some of those cases, though, officers were found guilty of violating other rules, often related to completing paperwork.
It was unclear how many officers faced suspension or termination. None of the 2019 investigations reviewed by The CA was referred to the district attorney’s office for possible prosecution.
The documents were originally made