In response to a federal investigation alleging civil rights violations, Memphis hires ex-Judge Bernice Donald to monitor the police.
After a federal investigation into the Memphis Police Department prompted by the death of Tyre Nichols, the city recently announced that it would hire former federal judge Bernice Donald to be an independent monitor as the MPD implements reforms outside of a consent decree.
According to WREG, the city made it fairly clear early in the process that they wanted nothing to do with a consent decree from the Department of Justice.
However, activists like Earle Fisher do not trust that Memphis can be trusted to implement reforms independently.
“We want a level of oversight and regulatory force that we don’t trust the city to implement, in and of itself,” Fisher told the outlet.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young, however, indicated in a statement that he trusts Donald as the city’s partner in their efforts to implement reforms.
“We are committed to fostering a transparent and effective community response and believe this task force will ensure that every voice is heard. Together, we will develop a comprehensive action plan that meets the needs of our residents,” Young said.