Memphis City Voted Along Racial Lines - Police

Memphis has a crime rate that is simply going crazy. Last night, the city voted along racial lines to not allow people who live within 20 miles of the county Memphis is in to become Memphis Police officers... DESPITE the fact that the city cannot get enough officers even with a massive ad and recruitment campaign.

Simply put, the whites on the board voted to extend the hiring zone. Black council members voted to not extend the hiring zone. This zone expansion would have made mostly more white people elligible, as that is the demographics of the zone being considered.

I am, to be honest, laughing. These same folks who voted against the expansion yell constantly at the police to "protect them," which isn't the police's job, but they won't do anything to get police numbers up to where they used to be.

That said, most folks wanting to get into Law Enforcement here volunteer and GIVE their time to the Sheriff's Office.

Well, Memphis, be happy. You won't have more officers, but at least you won't have more opressive whites. And that's more important than taking criminals off the streets.

DADGUM IT WRONG ROOM

Green -> Red

Blacks don't want more white cops kicking the shit out of them?

You're saying blacks are the criminals?

Yup.

Memphis politics ALWAYS boils down to race. I think that's the main reason why it's never lived up to it's huuuge potential.

Edit: -> In reply to Rob Matter.

Well, I wouldn't go that far. I will say that I dropped my car off for an oil change today (I live in apartments, don't have a place to do it, don't have the time) at my shop. There was a broken down truck on the way to work. The person driving to work and I stopped and asked the person (an elderly black gent) if he needed help or to use a cell phone. He wouldn't even talk to me. It didn't seem like a fear thing either - he just didn't want to talk to a white man. So, I drove off.

That said, I was in one of the worst areas of town possible, and I didn't see ANY police cars.

Wait, you're saying that the town with the largest inland river port 2 (almost 3 and working on a 4th) major interstates, several of the largest rail lines in the country, and a lot of old money has potential?

You're right, it does. That's one of the reasons I keep my business here. The best thing that could happen to Memphis would be a generation of stable families.

Don't forget the largest air cargo hub on the entire planet.

Apostle, I agree with you 100% that there ought to be more cops.

That's just gravy. Actually, I meant to type that first.

Yeah, there is an entire industry that is popping up by the airport specializing in overnighting products out of Memphis... not just using Fedex.

I sent a USPS shipment at Midnight a couple of years ago. At 11:55pm I overnighted it to Jamaica, NY from the airport post office. The guy got it at 8:05am, or something like that. I was blown away. And he needed the part too, so he was appreciative.

I contacted MPD about becoming a reserve officer recently. I've since decided that when I lose enough weight, I'll become guard. But after investigating, I've decided I would rather work for the county and thus the Sheriff's department if I get into Reserve LEO after the guard. The county has a black mayor, and a lot of blacks in the Sheriff's department, and everyone has everyone's back. From talking to officers in both departments, of both races, in MPD whites don't feel like blacks have their backs and vice versa. In the Sheriff's department, it doesn't seem to be an issue.

Can someone please put out the call for the Black Defender, please?

The MPD itself is divided racially? That's perverse.

Very much so. The man I rent office space from is a Deputy Sheriff. He's very high up. He left MPD in the 80's because "Folks who couldn't read maps kept getting promoted over me for PC reasons." He's done well in the county, so I tend to think he's not just an incompetent making excuses. Plus, I've heard this from others. Lastly, he has several successful side businesses and is well respected in the community.

When I told him I was thinking of going for MPD, he said "****, your skin color is several dozen shades too light to stay alive if you ever come across any corruption in the department."

St. Louis has a "cops must be residents" clause too, and the are always trying to both bring in more officers AND get the residency clause dropped (it never is). Luckily, I live in the 'burbs, not the City proper, so it doesn't impact me.

Apostle: Does this mean they only hire police officers that reside in the city of Memphis?

If so, that's a stupid rule. Boston does the same thing for all municipal jobs. When I worked in the law department there, I had to be a resident of the City in order to even keep my job.

Stupid.

They only hire officers residing in the County. To give you an idea of how dumb this is, the metro area here goes into three states - Arkansas and Mississippi, in addition to Tennessee.

That's extraordinarily short sighted. I am surprised they are that dumb. ALl those that said things have changed with the Obama's election forgot about Memphis I guess...

Well... I kid you not, this issue was voted on according to racial lines. Whites voted for it, blacks against. When I think about it logically though, I don't think about it on race lines, I think on it as, "They say they want more cops, they can't get them, but they're not tapping the entire pool of interested folks."

It's not across the board for city jobs in Memphis though. For instance, there's no residency requirement for teachers.

Well, I can see where they're coming from there. No one worries about teachers beating on residents; they worry about residents beating on teachers.

Regarding the police though, why don't interested, out-of-city/state people just do what half of the MLG&W employees did...lie about their residency?

They supposedly run strict background checks on folks. I say supposedly, because I'm not very impressed with many of MPD's finest - though there are some great officers.

Yep...Augusta has the same problem (racial politics).
We don't have anywhere near the potential of Memphis, but we are still very much shooting ourselves in the foot.

Funny thing is the average guys on the street generally get along fine.
The politicos/city planners/etc. are the ones at each other's throats.

But as for being a cop or security guard....of course the reality is that being white you are nothing but a target/distraction/pending lawsuit. Young blacks especially will not respect you or trust you, period.

I tried to get an extra job as a security guard - 22+ years military, Secret Security Clearance, weapons qualified, etc. but the black security company chief at least did a good job of not laughing when I tried to get hired.

And being a white teacher in a black school? Good luck with all that.

One local middle school had 250 fights last year (16th worst in the state...yeah Augusta!) These aren't sitcom "wedgies" these are full out knock-down drag-out fights.

First of all, the police are indeed mandated to protect te public. It is their purpose.

Secondly, I agree that a police officer and all other public servants should live in the area (s)he serves regardless of race. If these white guys want on the police force, they should move closer to the city so that they have a vested intrest in cleaning up the streets there.

The Supreme Court has stated clearly that the police have no obligation to protect the people. This is the most recent case in a series of related cases going back to the 60's. The police exist to preserve the peace, not to protect the public.

Alpha, those "white guys" live within driving distance. They probably want to keep their children in good schools, which has nothing to do with their job as police officers, not pay ridiculous property taxes, stay in their churches, etc. That's fine though - the city just won't get enough officers.

The "public", sure...but that doesn't really include individuals in this case.

We're already talking about people who live "in the area"...just not within the city limits. The Memphis metro area stretches into Arkansas and Mississippi.

In Chicago, Internal Affairs actuallyresorts to following cops and firemen home periodically... for a number of days... sometimes weeks. Going over a girlfreind's house? Own a second residence out of town? Too bad. At that point, they want to see a deed/lease and utility bills to verify residence. Your primary residence has to be within city limits.