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The City of Memphis has appointed CJ Davis as the police department's first female police chief in city history, FOX 17 reports. Chief Davis takes over from former MPD Chief Michael Rollins who recently retired. The city and Mayor Jim Strickland held a pinning ceremony on Monday (June 14) to officially welcome Davis to the role.
Davis has several years of experience in law enforcement. She was previously an officer in Atlanta and has served as the police chief in Durham, North Carolina, since 2016 prior to her appointment in Memphis. According to WREG, Durham reported 37 homicides last year compared to Memphis' more than 330, a problem that Davis plans to address.
"I'm really excited about getting to know my officers and also getting to know key community leaders who have already expressed concern about the crime that they're experiencing," she said. "Not just crime but also quality of life issues."
The news outlet reports that Davis hopes to work with the community and connect with those who have experienced violence.
"Well I think it's important to meet people where they are," she said. "Boots on the ground. Not just myself but my team as well. Officers are already out there but what I hope to do is be accessible and more of a presence to the community we'll be serving."
She continued, "You have to work with the community. The police department can't do it by ourselves and we have to work with the community members in order to find ways to prevent crime too, not just respond to crime."