Two former Memphis Police Department (MPD) officers are facing possible decertification after being accused of serious misconduct, as per reports from several local news outlets. Deedrick Collier and Mikhail Payne, both of whom resigned in the face of potential termination, have reportedly violated departmental regulations, sparking an inquiry by the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST).
Collier’s troubles began after an incident on October 31, 2023, where he claimed to have been struck by a fleeing vehicle at the scene of a crash. He subsequently received benefits for an on-the-job injury and took 30 days off duty. However, POST documents obtained by Action News 5 reveal that body camera footage contradicted Collier’s account, showing that no contact with the vehicle occurred. Collier, who joined the MPD in 2018, was accused of violating policies regarding truthfulness and feigning illness or injury, before resigning on May 8, 2024.
Payne’s case, on the other hand, deals with an event that transpired on May 30, 2024, when the then-probationary officer was allegedly videotaped engaging in lewd conduct at a local bar. A patron recorded Payne inappropriately touching himself, an act deemed “lewd, obscene, offensive, and degrading act took place,” by POST records. In statements obtained by WREG, it was noted that Payne, hired in June 2023, faced violations of MPD policies on personal conduct, lewd/obscene conduct, and alcoholic beverages. Payne chose to resign before his disciplinary hearing on September 24, 2024…