City leaders strike back at ‘part-time’ police official with Georgia address

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis Police Department’s Assistant Police Chief Shawn Jones is being labeled a “part-time crime fighter” by some city council members.

Memphis Police confirmed on Tuesday that Jones, an MPD employee since September 2021, is actually a resident of the state of Georgia.

Council Chairman JB Smiley, Jr. says his constituents aren’t happy.

“I think it’s a bit concerning,” Smiley said. “I’ve received a lot of text messages from people from all different parts of life, different sectors, different communities concerned about whether he’s working remotely.”

Councilwoman Jerri Green says she’s got a problem with him living in Georgia and working in Memphis, apparently part-time.

“I am concerned that the number two cop would not be able to be immediately available and I’m not sure whether he’s spending weekends in Atlanta or other times during the week,” she said.

Jones served with Interim Police Chief C.J. Davis in Atlanta and came to Memphis with her after she was appointed chief in 2021. He makes nearly $180,000 a year.

WREG reached out to MPD and Mayor Paul Young about Jones’ residency.

An email from the mayor’s office says, “Shawn Jones’ primary residence is still in the state of Georgia. Tennessee state law does not permit restrictions on the residency of first responders.”

That’s word-for-word the same response we received from MPD the day before, referencing a state law adopted in 2022.

Later, a city official followed up, stating, “Our residency requirement reflects state law, we do not feel that the City of Memphis needs to revisit our policy.”

In 2022, the Tennessee General Assembly passed a state law that put into place a ban on local residency requirements for first responders.

According to department policy, MPD personnel can live within two hours of Shelby County, but whether that includes Georgia, more than six hours away by car, is unclear.

“We should not be paying a part time employee to make $180,000. He lives in Georgia, and he can’t report to work, and I think that’s what’s being lost in this,” Green said. “I would like an answer as to whether they knew that this is where his residency was when they hired him, and if there was some expectation that he would establish a full-time residency within the confined limits of the policy.”

The situation by a high-ranking officer brings MPD residency requirements into question.

“It has not been violated by a rank in file officer. It’s not violated by mid-management. It’s violated by the second most by the second-most powerful police officer that we have, and I think they have to make some tough decisions,” Smiley said.

• Summer Olympians will get their support systems back in Paris after Tokyo’s COVID bans
• Person found dead at Frayser apartment complex
• Ozempic, Wegovy may be linked to risk of rare form of blindness: study
• Trader Joe’s recalls candles with ‘unexpected’ issue
• Two 19-year-olds arrested on Oprah’s Hawaii ranch are suspected of illegal hunting

In a city plagued by crime, some council members say Assistant Chief Jones should either live in Memphis full-time or considering resigning his position.

“We’re leading the nation, especially around our homicide rate and solve rate, and I want to see those things improve, and I think the way to do that is have the best of the best around you at all times,” Green said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.