MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Shelby County’s District Attorney General says the Memphis Police Association’s recent advice for officers not to talk to investigators is “disturbing.”
Memphis and Shelby County are looking into the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation taking over all future officer-involved shootings — not just deadly incidents.
Association President Mike Williams says he doesn’t want officers talking with TBI agents, saying officers have the right not to incriminate themselves.
Amy Weirich does not agree.
“Certainly, any officer, anybody has the right to not give incriminating information against themselves. We all have that constitutional protection,” she said. “But if you merely witness an incident, we expect you as a citizen to cooperate. Can’t force you to, but it’s certainly something we expect from our citizens.
“We encourage citizens every day that if you see something say something. And I think it’s very disturbing if we’re now going to have this new chapter, approach by law enforcement officers saying we don’t have to.”
Right now, anytime there’s a deadly officer-invovled shooting, the TBI is called. Otherwise the agency may be called on a case-by-case basis.
Weirich says if the legislation is passed that requires the TBI to take over all officer-involved shootings, the agency will need to be given more resources.