its children. We acknowledge Memphis’ cooperation during our investigation and look forward to instituting reforms that will address the harms we identified.”
“This process and these findings uncovered that our city has a lot of work to do,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren for the Western District of Tennessee. “Memphians are rightly concerned with gun violence and violent crime. They are also rightly concerned about the collective approach that we must take to tackle these issues. We hope to work with Mayor Young, Chief Davis, the Memphis Police Department and our Memphis partners to move forward.”
The City and MPD cooperated fully with the Justice Department’s investigation. The department provided a comprehensive written report of its investigative findings to the City and MPD. The report acknowledges the changes already made by the City and MPD, and it identifies additional remedial measures that the department believes are necessary to fully address its findings.
The department opened this investigation on July 27, 2023. The investigation was conducted by career attorneys and staff in the Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section and in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee. The team conducted numerous onsite tours; interviewed MPD officers, supervisors and command staff; spoke with City officials and employees; accompanied behavioral crisis responders and officers on ride-alongs; reviewed thousands of documents; and reviewed hundreds of hours of body-worn camera footage. Department attorneys and staff also met with community members, advocates and service providers in the Memphis area.
The department conducted this investigation pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 12601 (Section 12601), which prohibits law enforcement officers from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct that deprives people of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law, the Safe Streets Act of 1968, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The findings announced today are the result of the department’s civil pattern or practice investigation and are separate from the department’s criminal cases against former MPD officers for federal crimes related to the death of Tyre Nichols.