The Memphis Police Department Independent Monitor will hear from citizens in small focus groups next week beginning Tuesday, Feb. 25, at four community centers around Memphis.
Dr. Sheila Peters, a clinical psychologist and associate professor at Fisk University in Nashville, has been retained by the Monitor to conduct the focus groups.
“The purpose of the focus groups is to provide a mechanism for the community to have a voice about the use of police surveillance in Memphis as well as the Kendrick decree,” Peters said. “The focus groups will give people a greater opportunity to express their personal perceptions and opinions.
“Participants will complete a short survey, a set of questions, and we will discuss that and other things that may come up,” Peters said.
The sessions, which are for up to 12 persons each, will be conducted Feb. 25 at Douglass Community Center; Feb. 26 at Lester Community Center; Feb. 27 at Orange Mound Community Center, and Feb. 28 at Charles Powell Community Center. Four rounds per day are scheduled, including 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. time slots.
Citizens may sign up for these by contacting Dr. Peters at 615-497-2963, or mailto:SPeters@Fisk.edu or by accessing the QR code on the Monitor’s website: https://www.memphispdmonitor.com/community-engagement
The Monitor also will hold its third public community forum at 7 p.m., March 10, at the Ben Hooks Library, 3030 Poplar Avenue.
U.S. District Judge Jon McCalla appointed Edward Stanton III on Dec. 21 to serve as Independent Monitor in the wake of the court’s Oct. 26 ruling that the city of Memphis had violated the 1978 Kendrick Consent Decree which forbade Memphis police from gathering political intelligence on citizens.
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