MEMPHIS, Tenn. – One last message from the outgoing mayor.
As Mayor Paul Young begins his first week in office, FOX13 obtained a letter addressed to the city council, written by former Mayor Jim Strickland.
The letter expressed his concerns about a handful of police reform ordinances passed last spring, following the death of Tyre Nichols.
Council members say expressing why there was no support now is troubling.
“I was really shocked by the tone of the letter,” said former council chairman Martavius Jones.
He said the letter was emailed to all of the city council during his last business day in office.
“The proper venue for former Mayor Strickland, if he didn’t agree with those ordinances, was to let a court decide. He didn’t do that. He decided that I’m just going to defy the laws of the Memphis City Council and not follow them,” said Jones.
The 4-page letter outlined about the six police reform ordinances passed by city council last year following the death of Nichols.
The ordinances include annual audits of the Memphis Police Department training academy and requiring police to use marked vehicles for traffic stops.
Strickland explained that part of the reason he does not support it is because the ordinances ‘violate the charter of the city’ by interfering with the policies and operations of the Memphis Police Department.
Despite Strickland’s sentiments, Mayor Paul Young said Thursday that he will sign off and enforce these ordinances. “We will enforce the ordinances as approved by the city council.”
Chief C.J. Davis said her department has already made the adjustments.
“We have to have policies that mirror city ordinances so we changed the policies anyway. You know, we didn’t have to wait for the mayor to sign or not sign. So our policies have been changed. Our officers have had roll call training and they have been operating, you know, under those ordinances and we haven’t had any issues,” said Davis.
These ordinances passed through the city council last spring.
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