MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A motion to reappoint Police Chief Cerelyn C.J. Davis to her post failed 6-7 in a non-binding Memphis City Council committee recommendation Tuesday after some tough questions from council members.

This is not the final vote on Davis’ reappointment — the matter must go to the full city council for a final vote in regular session, either tonight or in two weeks. The narrow vote, along with clearly opposing signs waving in the crowd, showed the clear divide on who should lead Memphis police.

Council chairman JB Smiley says now that Davis’ reappointment has failed a committee vote, he believes the council is ready for a new direction.

“We can’t do things the way we’ve always done and expect different results,” he said.

Here was the vote:

• Smiley: no
• Canale: no
• Swearengen-Washington: no
• Logan: yes
• Walker: yes
• Carlisle: no
• Ford: yes
• Cooper-Sutton: yes
• Green: no
• Spinosa: no
• Easter-Thomas: yes
• White: yes
• Warren: no

Davis and other officials are seeking to be reappointed by the Memphis City Council members Tuesday.

Chief Davis shattered a glass ceiling in becoming the city’s first African American female police chief when she took over in 2021, under former mayor Jim Strickland.

Mayor Young said he’s asking for the council to approve the “slate as presented,” and allow the team the opportunity to show residents what can be done under his leadership.

“Why are there so many people from the last regime still being reappointed?” Young asked the council members Tuesday. “The simple answer is this: We have to move quickly on all issues. We have people working in these roles that know how to move the system.”

However, there is plenty of pushback regarding Davis remaining chief, as the city saw nearly 400 homicides last year, skyrocketing car thefts, and soaring business burglaries.

Her tenure was plagued with additional problems including a new FBI probe following the death of Tyre Nichols. Recent reporting by the Daily Memphian also suggests that an ordinance passed by City Council banning pre-textual traffic stops in the wake of that case may not have been put into MPD policy.

New council member Jeri Green, a former public defender, says Davis has so far failed to provide a vision for action in the wake of a crime wave that has plagued Memphis. The department’s solve rate for homicides is below 50% and lower for property crimes, she said.

She also mentioned that Davis had her service weapon stolen from her own car.

“I’ve been looking for more for you, for a vision on how to stop this crime wave,” she said. “What we have continued to ask is for a vision and you have provided us with some bullet points around tracking repeat offenders or having more DARE classes in fourth grade, and frankly, it’s not enough.”

She continued, “You really only have to look at other cities. We are at the bottom. We had more homicides than New York City, and we have a lot less people. … We are at a crisis point in Memphis, and a crisis requires swift action and leadership.”

Davis took heat for creating the SCORPION Unit, a special force within MPD that was disbanded after its members were involved in the death of Tyre Nichols.

Davis said the unit already existed at MPD when she came to Memphis. Her role was changing its name and changing the entrance requirements for officers assigned to it.

Davis retired as deputy chief in Atlanta before she was appointed chief of the police department in Durham, N.C. She was appointed chief in Memphis in 2021. 

A list of her accomplishments she submitted to city council included a reduction in crime in 2022, but did not include the record-setting homicide number set in 2023.

Council Chair JB Smiley says the new council won’t rubber stamp appointments and he plans to pose the questions to the entire city– has crime gotten better in the past four years?

The 13 members of the Memphis City Council will hold the first meeting of the year on Tuesday to discuss the consideration of signing off on the new appointments and reappointments. Davis needs the magic number ‘7,’ to vote in favor of keeping her.