Kendrick Consent Decree

On December 21, 2018, the Honorable Jon P. McCalla, United States District Judge for the Western District of Tennessee, appointed Edward L. Stanton III and his team of subject matter experts (collectively, the “Monitoring Team”) as the Court’s independent monitor to monitor the progress of the City of Memphis’s compliance with Order, Judgment and Decree for Civil Case 76-449 (“Kendrick Consent Decree”). The Kendrick Consent Decree represents the ACLU’s and the City of Memphis’s agreement regarding the City’s various policing activities and protocols that may implicate the public’s First Amendment rights. In furtherance of the Monitoring Team’s goals of transparency and accountability to the public, the Team has created this website to provide the public with convenient access to important Court filings, Monitor reports, and a host of other materials.

In January 2025, the Court approved the Kendrick Consent Decree Sustainment Proposal, designating MPD Legal Advisors Rosalyn Dobbins and James Thomas, along with one additional police officer, to serve as Compliance Officers. The proposal also provides for the appointment of three subject matter experts (SMEs) to support and advise the Compliance Officers in their duties. Furthermore, the proposal outlines a transition period leading into a sustainment phase, projected to last between 18 and 24 months.