1. If elected or re-elected to the city council, will you propose programs and/or initiatives to limit the number of arrests for minor offenses in the city?
M LATROY ALEXANDRIA-WILLIAMS:
The city has enough crime, making minor offenses a hard crime only create another criminal. We need more program like the COMPAQ program, that create more opportunity for citizens.
CLEABORN:
There needs to be solid consequences for criminal acts and offenses. However, the city and courts do not need to be tied up with people who have been arrested for minor offenses. Memphis's murder rate is one of the highest in the country and that needs to be addressed. There should be a program for people with minor offenses to automatically have to do community services, pay fines, counseling to be taught an alternative to their action, and clean up details in areas that have been neglected in the city.
CURRIE: DID NOT RESPOND
HARRIS: DID NOT RESPOND
SMILEY:
The City should pay particular attention to initiatives and or proposed legislation that limits the amount of interaction an individual has with the criminal justice system as it relates to minor offenses that lead to arrest.
For starters, our money bail system ignores that every person arrested is “innocent until proven guilty.” It also disenfranchises people of color and those from low-income areas. We must champion legislation that takes a new approach to the money bail system.As a Councilman, I will advocate for the police to limit the number of arrests of individuals accused of minor offense and also the need for a money bail system for those who have minor run-ins with the law.
WALKER:
Obsolutely, I am willing to support programs that support alternative sentences. For starters I would love to infuse this with my Adult Literacy Advocacy. I want to test lessor offendors to assess their reading and comprehension levels, and use that as a path to workforce development.
I am a member of Inward Journey, we addres trauma in individual, and we are affliated with a program called BAM (Becoming A Man) in Chicago. There are methods to address the whole person, and lower recidivisim. They methods are adaptable for females as well.
2. If elected or re-elected to the city council, will you support a pre-booking diversion program for drug-related offenses and for those suffering from mental health issues?
M LATROY ALEXANDRIA-WILLIAMS:
Of course I will, pre-booking diversion program, is one of many answers to solving mental health suffering.
CLEABORN:
I will support a pre-booking diversion program for all of those with drug related offenses. There has to be an even playing field. Some people have been jailed for drug related offenses, while others go free, which is not fair. If there is going to be a program, it should apply to everyone. Yes, I would support programs for those suffering from mental health issues. Mental health issues run high in the city and people need help.
CURRIE: DID NOT RESPOND
HARRIS: DID NOT RESPOND
SMILEY:
We spend too much of our resources imprisoning those who have mental health issues and substance abuse problems. If we truly desire a society that cares and a criminal justice system that rehabilitates we will take the necessary steps to provide those individuals suffering from mental health issues and substance abuse problems the help they need. We can do this by expanding pre-booking diversion programs.
WALKER:
I would meet with representatives from your organization and others to obtain data to find out the best solution for this. I support steakholders haveing a seat at the table.
3. If elected or re-elected to the city council, will you support a policy to require transparency and democratic accountability before city agencies acquire new surveillance tools?
M LATROY ALEXANDRIA-WILLIAMS:
CLEABORN:
CURRIE: DID NOT RESPOND
HARRIS: DID NOT RESPOND
SMILEY:
WALKER:
4. If elected or re-elected to the city council will you work to make stop and arrest data, including race and ethnicity data, available to the public quarterly?
M LATROY ALEXANDRIA-WILLIAMS:
CLEABORN:
CURRIE: DID NOT RESPOND
HARRIS: DID NOT RESPOND
SMILEY:
WALKER:
5. If elected or re-elected to the city council what will you do to ensure a timely, transparent and independent investigation whenever an officer uses deadly force?
M LATROY ALEXANDRIA-WILLIAMS:
Yes, first order of business, is to investigation the subject-matter.
CLEABORN:
The officer would be suspended without pay until the investigation is complete. If the body camera was off, that is automatic termination with no consideration of a rehire, and goes in their permanent file. If the alleged threat is not found to justify the actions of the officer, it will result in termination and criminal charges. If other officers are found guilty of covering for the officer in question, they will face the same criminal charges. Good officers should not have to work in fear because they will not cover for bad officers. The subject that has been murdered will not be automatically painted to be a criminal to the public to justify actions; however, facts will be released to the pubic about the subject and the officer's history and background. Saying they were "in fear" will not automatically get the officer off, because they have been trained for such times. All evidence and support for any decision must be made public. Witness accounts will be taken seriously and made public. Findings of cause of death with autopsy reports will be public and must match statements given by the officer. Forensics will be done to the crime scene immediately. Investigations will not be repeatedly done by the same people, and if they omit evidence, they will face criminal charges. The names of all investigators and their findings will be made public. If there are things in the officers past like complaints of excessive force, links to hate groups, or other things of that nature, the officer will be charged with a hate crime. Officers who go to work to protect and serve and just want to make it home to their families at the end of the shift, without any ulterior motives or corruption will not have a problem with those measures because they will have nothing to hide.
CURRIE: DID NOT RESPOND
HARRIS: DID NOT RESPOND
SMILEY:
The City has an independent body, CLERB, tasked with and given the authority to investigate, hear cases, make findings and recommend action on complaints regarding excessive and deadly force. As a councilman, I will do what is necessary to support CLERB and be sure that we have a timely, transparent, and independent investigation that is made available promptly.
WALKER:
Meet with the Mayor and police director of be half of my constituients, and insist that they ensure a timely, transparent and independent investigation whenever an officer uses deadly force?
6. Name 3 steps you would take as a council member to make the Community Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB) more effective.
M LATROY ALEXANDRIA-WILLIAMS:
1. Hire retired-school teacher.
2. Appoint- a business person like a beautician.
3. Minister
CLEABORN:
1. Make the CLERB diverse and reflective of the communities in Memphis, which would include younger people.
2. Make findings automatically reported to the public as well as MPD, with support and evidence to backup those findings. The names of the people who came to the conclusion should be released to the public as well.
3. Their findings should carry more weight with the decision of the officer's employment, not just reported to MPD.
CURRIE: DID NOT RESPOND
HARRIS: DID NOT RESPOND
SMILEY:
In interest of brevity, I will say this. The thought of CLERB and what it stands for is nice. However, the actual ability of the body to make substantive decisions is lacking. As I understand it, generally, CLERB can investigate and make recommendations. The most important step, and the only step I would recommend at this point, without meeting with the Board, is giving the Board the right to appeal to City Council any decision by the MPD to disregard its recommendations.
WALKER:
1) Study the city charter as it relates to CLERB and see what the options are to support my advocacy
2) Advoacte for and figure out how to equip CLERB subpoena power
3) Advocate for more police accountability
7. Would you support policies, programs or initiatives to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline?
M LATROY ALEXANDRIA-WILLIAMS:
Yes,through after school , create a learning such sport entertainment,reading and writing classes civics
CLEABORN:
I would support policies, programs, or initiatives to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline. I'm a teacher and I see more money allocated to prisons than to education. It cost less to educate a child than to put them behind bars. Education is key and a preventative measure on the front end.
CURRIE: DID NOT RESPOND
HARRIS: DID NOT RESPOND
SMILEY:
With parents who face unique socioeconomic challenges, in-home childhood education often takes a backseat to adults with multiple jobs to make ends meet, health challenges, single parenthood, or a lack of education themselves.
WALKER:
I along with the other council members should use the triage approach to determine the root cause(s) of the school-to-prison pipeline and implement solutions based on those findings.
I would lead the council in studying exsisting data surrounding this, and aquire the latest stats and proceed from there. I would bring in my cousin Memphian Dr. Byron Eugene Price, who has done considerable research on the school to prison pipeline. He currently works at Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York as a professor of public policy and administration, and has written three books on this subject. He would make a great consultant to help the council craft viable plans and solutions.
Books by Dr. Price..
Merchandizing Prisoners: Who Really Pays for Prison Privatization?
Prison Privatization: The Many Facets of a Controversial Industry
Prison Privatization: The Many Facets of a Controversial Industry [3 Volumes]: The Many Facets of a Controversial Industry
I am a proponent of stakeholders being at the table atleast to be heard. With that being said...I would reach out to your organiztion and others to come to the table and share feedback on what they judge are the causes, and solutions reagarding breaking the school to prison pipeline.
8. What does criminal justice reform mean to you?
M LATROY ALEXANDRIA-WILLIAMS:
Making adjustment in the criminal-justice to offset many of the ill's made by bureaucrat policies,that run in contrary to the laws. After years of complaints remake and scrutiny ,the criminal justice begin to reform it self.
CLEABORN:
It means not targeting people of color. Reform means people who do the same crimes, get the same punishment. It means looking at judges and their history to ensure they are handing out the same penalties for the same crimes, regardless of race, creed, sex, color, or income bracket. It also means criminal charges and jail time for those who falsely accuse others of crimes. Reform has to change laws on the books that have not been looked at, reviewed, or updated since they were put there. It also means making people pay fines for calls to 911, for racially motivated act to terrorize others.
CURRIE: DID NOT RESPOND
HARRIS: DID NOT RESPOND
SMILEY:
Criminal justice reform means, in a broad sense, changing how our government identifies and labels certain behaviors and/or activities as crimes, addressing over policing of certain communities in addition to transformative change as it relates to the money bail system.
WALKER:
Reform (Latin: reformo) means the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc. So in the context of criminal justice reform it is making improvment on a number of fronts.
Really the best way to achieve this is...The whole system needs to be done away with and started over. In the meantime, I judge that the reform should be comphrehensive and target policies as well as the whole person. I support policies that offer more opportunities for alternative sentencing.
I want to colaborate with the city and county mayors to address the following...
Reducing harsh prison sentences
Changing the drug sentencing policy surrounding the war on drugs
Decriminalizing certain laws, including drug policies
Prioritizing rehabilitation of offenders, especially our juvenile offenders
Altering policies surrounding food assistance programs and voting rights for previous offenders. Changing minimum sentencing laws
