Following a conversation with Ms. Alex Smith, the Chief Human Resources Officer for the city of Memphis, the MICAH Youth Council sent a letter to Mayor Strickland on October 7, 2020 stating that the MICAH Youth Council wants to be a part of the hiring process for the new Memphis Police Department Director. We have appreciated being able to build a relationship with Dir. Rallings to learn more about policing in Memphis, and look to continue that work. We want to ensure Memphis has a police director invested in the entire community, specifically including youth. The police department is a powerful force in shaping our city. Youth are a part of Memphis and are also a part of the criminal justice system. As you know, youth who enter the criminal justice system are affected for the rest of their lives.

We requested a response from the mayor by October 20, 2020. The mayor did not respond to our request by October 20, 2020. We don’t understand why we did not hear back from Mayor Strickland, given that he has said he is invested in youth involvement in the community.

We are asking you, those invested in the MICAH Youth Council to send a letter to Mayor Strickland, requesting that he accept the request of the MICAH Youth Council to participate in the interview process of the next Memphis Police Director.

Thank you for amplifying the voice of the youth.