MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A non-profit wants to change the way you file complaints against Memphis Police officers.
Memphis United has been working with the mayor to bring back the Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board, which is an independent, non-police mayoral agency.
Right now when you file a complaint against a MPD officer, you have to file it at a precinct or with internal affairs.
Memphis United held a press conference Wednesday urging Memphians to come forward about their troubling experiences with law enforcement.
Three people who have filed complaints spoke about the process, and why they feel it is unaccountable and not transparent.
They said the Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board, also called CLERB, is important to Memphians.
“This is about balancing the scales. Currently the only process for filing a complaint against MPD is through MPD. If we want to restore any confidence in law enforcement, the citizens, whose safety is in their hands, needs a process to ensure real transparency and accountability,” said organizing coordinator Paul Garner.
Memphis United said it is working with the mayor to restore CLERB hopefully by August. It had been inactive for over four years.
However, they want to ensure it has more power than before, because there was no punitive authority, no subpoena power and officers’ involvement was strictly voluntary.
They are asking for your help to make it effective as possible.
Memphis United will hold nine town hall meetings this summer in each city district.
The first will be June 24 at Lewis Davis CME Chruch at 6 p.m.
They will take the suggestions to city council.
You can also share your experiences with MPD through Twitter and Facebook using #CLERBspeakout2014.
If you want to share your ideas on CLERB, use #MYCLERB.