Police Director's Letters Expand on His Denial of Four Citizen Complaints

Memphis Director of Police Services Michael Rallings has rejected four citizen complaints sent to him by the Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board in mid-April. Letters from Rallings responding to each case expand upon his decision and are linked below.   

Police Director Michael Rallings

CLERB board members were dismayed by the director's not accepting a single one of their recommendations after the citizen oversight board had heard testimony, watched videos and weighed statements since November.  CLERB's decisions were unanimous in all four cases.

Complainants said they were disappointed but not surprised.  Some complainants' cases had been simmering as long as six years while they bided their time hoping for someone besides police to hear their story.  Most complainants said they would be satisfied with an apology from Rallings acknowledging that police can make mistakes like anyone.

"A decent apology would go a long way," said James Bolden, who testified that police threw him down and arrested him when he reflexively grabbed his groin area as police aggressively searched his body. 

Here are the letters from the police chief to the Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board.

Cover Letter to CLERB, link to 4 letters from police director 

Videos with excerpts from the four cases are on www.WatchTheWatchersChannel.com