To: Jim Strickland, Mayor and Michael Rallings, Director of Police Services
Reginald Johnson is not a hazard. End police retaliation.
We demand that MPD release an official written memo stating that Reginald Johnson's name and home address have been removed from any "hazard list."
If there is a policy outlining the process and criteria for MPD’s hazard list, we demand it be made available to the public so that those accused have recourse.
Why is this important?
Reginald Johnson's son was shot and killed. Memphis police never properly investigated the crime. Later, when a man showed up at Reginald's door bleeding from a gunshot wound, he called the police. They entered Reginald's home, beat him, and arrested him.
Now, Reginald has found out that his address has been added to a so-called "hazard list" in retaliation for his speaking out against police misconduct. Mayor Jim Strickland, Director of Police Services Michael Rallings, and other City of Memphis officials have told him that they are working on removing him from the list. It has been over a year, and still he has no resolution.
Mayor Jim Strickland has denied the existence of the list, but admitted to the existence of "flagged addresses." We do not intend to argue semantics.
Right now, if Reginald calls the police when he witnesses a crime, they show up in force to harass and intimidate him.
The police should be protectors, not bullies. Reginald Johnson is not a hazard. Sign to end police retaliation.