Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board Monitor:
The Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board or CLERB is an independent, non-police Mayoral Agency with the authority to investigate allegations of misconduct filed by civilians against the City of Memphis Police Officers. The Board is composed of 14 members of the public, appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council with the jurisdiction to receive, investigate, hear cases, make findings and recommend action on complaints concerning the City of Memphis Police Officers. Complaints may be made by any person whether or not the person is a victim, or witness to the alleged misconduct.
The Mid-South Peace & Justice Center led a successful campaign to re-establish and strengthen the powers of CLERB by ordinance of the Memphis City Council, however, there are still issues that must be addressed for the board to be an effective tool for accountability.
The monthly meetings of CLERB are public, but often they are not widely attended, because they are not publicized. It has also become apparent that some members of the board may not fully understand the roles and responsibilities of their position, which is troubling, but not something which cannot be corrected.
We are seeking individuals who will attend the meetings on the second Thursday of each month, from 4-6PM at City Hall (125 N Main) to act as a monitor; observe the deliberations, record them, and analyze them from a legal perspective in such a way that this information can be made available to the general public.
Complainant Advocacy:
Another issue we have identified with CLERB, is a lack of advocacy for complainants. When complainants contact the review board, they often have no context or information about what to expect from the CLERB process, nor is there anyone officially appointed to help them review their own case, or assist them understand what to expect for the proceedings. To that end, we are seeking individuals with experience in law to assist CLERB complainants with analyzing their Internal Affairs files, and help them be better prepared for the review process.
These positions could be approached as externship opportunities, school projects, etc for individuals studying law and the criminal justice system. For more information, please contact Paul Garner, Organizing Director with the Mid-South Peace & Justice Center: 901.725.4990 or paul@midsouthpeace.org