CLERB expands role in inquiries
Compromise vote passes
The Memphis Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board voted Monday to back a compromise that would greatly expand its role in investigating alleged police abuses.
CLERB voted unanimously to recommend that City Council amend its governing ordinance in a final vote scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Tuesday in the council chamber at City Hall.
Prior to that vote, the council’s Personnel Committee will discuss the amendment at 8:45 a.m.
The ordinance amendment has been a long time coming, said CLERB Chairman and Rev. Ralph White. But, finishing out the song lyric, he said “a change is gonna come.”
Asked about the likelihood of a vote, council member and amendment sponsor Wanda Halbert didn’t hesitate: “It’s on.”
CLERB’s recommendation comes after a bumpy week for the amendment. A week ago Monday, the administration rolled out a version of the amendment without many of the changes sought after by advocacy groups, prompting Mid-South Peace and Justice Executive Director Brad Watkins to call out Mayor A C Wharton for withdrawing support.
Wharton showed up at the next meeting promising support and getting his staff to clarify their proposal. The administration made some concessions then, and got some in return, leaving CLERB to finalize the wording of the compromise between the administration, MidSouth Peace and Justice Center, the Memphis Police Association, White and Halbert.
“This is about as good as we’re going to get,” White said. “... This is enough for us to work with.”
The most recent version of the amendment sets a 45-day cap on Internal Affairs investigations, clarifies that the 13-member board can request a subpoena from the council to aid in its investigations, and says CLERB can hear any complaints filed since June 1, 2011.
“We have no problems with it,” Watkins said of the compromise.
Also, before Wednesday, the administration — at the request of the police
DIVORCES GRANTED Christal Pettigrew from Steven Pettigrew
James Salopek from Kana Salopek
Angela Hart from Andrew Hart
John Coleman from Dawn Coleman
William Rote from Courtney Biddle
Marsha Jackson from Fred Jackson
Keisha Webb from Curtis Franklin
Ashton Sanders from Rickie Sanders
Beverly Booker from Lee Walton
Paul Sidney from Kimberly Sidney
Rodney Burden from Lakeda Burden
Abdul Ghazali from Amanda Ghazali
Demario Turner from Lashandra Turner
James Ndirangu from Christine Minton
Christopher Hurtley from Dyan Hurtley
Sindy Maddrie from Larry Maddrie
Brian McNeal from Faye McNeal
Irma Hernandez from Cody Taylor
David Simms from Maria Simms
Darren Matthews from Keeva Matthews
Kimberly Black from John Black Jerry Boyd from Dionne Boyd Lauren Janzen from David Janzen
John Obrien Jr. from Cheryl Obrien
Dalphinie Duncan from Carlos Duncan Jr. Joyce Hill from James Hill Marvin Lawson Jr. from Sylvia Dandridge
Roosevelt Stamps from Wenda Stamps
Stacey Nelson from David Nelson union — will add language that says CLERB’s information will be “strictly confidential” to the extent allowed by state law, and threatening criminal prosecution for confidentiality breaches.
As laid out in the ordinance, the board and its three new staffers would investigate police misconduct case in the categories of use of force, arrest, entry, search, harassment, demeanor, procedures, service and property.
Wharton would be required to nominate members of the board for council approval within 30 days after amendment approval.
CLERB members have complained in the past that previous administrations haven’t supported the board, and that they didn’t have the powers needed to investigate abuses without support from the administration. After a period of resulting inactivity, the board was dismissed in 2011.