Police hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements in Memphis, Tennessee
| Police hiring, training, and discipline |
|---|
|
| • Police collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) • Ballotpedia CBA dashboard •Reform proposals •CBA areas of inquiry and disagreement •Arguments about police collective bargaining • Index of articles about criminal justice policy |
| Click here for more analysis of police hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements by state and city on Ballotpedia |
This page provides an overview of policies related to the hiring, training, and discipline of police officers in Memphis, Tenn. It is part of an analysis of police union collective bargaining agreements and related arrangements with police unions concerning hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements in the 50 states and top 100 cities by population.
Background
Ballotpedia in 2023 examined the collective bargaining agreements, statutes, and regulatory codes governing the 50 states and the top 100 US cities by population through the lens of a series of research questions related to police hiring, training, and discipline.
Some of the hiring, training, and discipline standards for police officers not established by statutes or regulations arise from negotiations with police unions. Those negotiations are often codified in collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). Those agreements are the contracts that states and cities sign following negotiations with police unions. Some states and cities restrict collective bargaining, but may still negotiate with police unions using other methods. After negotiating with the unions, those jurisdictions sometimes establish police standards through documents including memoranda of understanding or meet and confer agreements.
Results
The tables below link to each question Ballotpedia used to analyze the states and cities and indicate how Memphis handles police hiring, training, and discipline. To see the provisions Ballotpedia used to support these results, click here.
CBA basics
| CBA basics | Results |
|---|---|
| Is there a CBA with the police union? | YES |
| Is the current CBA publicly available online? | YES |
Discipline and accountability
| Discipline and accountability | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA forbid the transfer or reassignment of an officer as a form of discipline? | YES |
Reassignment cannot be used as a form of discipline. However, officers may be temporarily transferred for up to ninety (90) days following discipline. The employee would return to his/her original unit following the temporary transfer. | |
| Do officers have a right to request third-party arbitration for grievances, including over disciplinary actions? | NO |
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to discipline for misconduct? | YES |
Primary discipline authority: City of Memphis, Police Department; Types: Oral reprimand, written reprimand, suspension without pay, reduction in rank, termination; Restricted aspects: N/A; Challenge/appeal process: Union grievance procedure.Officer has right to representation when disciplinary matter could become part of employee's personal file. Advance notice of administrative hearing on departmental charges shall be given no less than 96 hours before hearing. | |
| Does the CBA explicitly allow for a state ombudsman outside particular police departments to hold law enforcement officers accountable for misconduct? | NO |
Legal limitations or provisions
| Legal limitations or provisions | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the city CBA prohibit felons from becoming law enforcement officers? | NO |
Officers can be fired for felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude | |
| Are there any statutes or regulations that prohibit collective bargaining with police unions? | YES |
Training and counseling
Community relations and oversight
| Community relations and oversight | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA reference citizen review boards? | NO |
| Does the CBA have provisions related to community policing? | YES |
Community Oriented Police Services is part of the executive board | |
Investigations
| Investigations | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to misconduct investigations? | YES |
Investigative procedure and types of investigations. No timeline given. | |
| Does the CBA require notice to officers of investigations? | YES |
Conditions: N/A; Timeline: Must receive notice no less than 96 hours prior to a hearing; Content: N/A | |
| Does the CBA determine a timeline for investigations? | YES |
Timeline to launch: N/A; Timeline to conclude: 1 year after investigation begins. | |
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to compensation during misconduct investigations? | NO |
Evidence and records
| Evidence and records | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA have provisions related to the use of body-worn cameras or body-worn camera video evidence? | NO |
| Does the CBA regulate processes for retaining officer disciplinary records? | NO |
Record storage: City-specific database; Storage authority: Police Human Resources Division; Types of records: Personnel files; Timeline: N/A; Access and use: N/A; Use in decisions: N/A | |
Qualifications and evaluation
| Qualifications and evaluation | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA require performance evaluations? | YES |
Performance evaluations conducted annually by the employee's commanding officer Officers will receive a copy of their evaluation and have the opportunity to appeal its contents | |
| Does the CBA restrict licensing procedures for law enforcement officers or departments? | NO |
Union authority
| Union authority | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA limit union authority to pay and benefits issues? | NO |
| Does the CBA give the union the power to approve or disapprove new training programs for law enforcement officers? | NO |
| Does the CBA have provisions involving the union in the process for promotions, unit assignments, and transfers? | YES |
City has inherent right to hire, promote, assign, transfer; City agrees to consult with union before making any changes to promotional exams or process | |
See also
Footnotes
| |||||||||||||||||
