Cerelyn Davis, Chief
Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis has over 35 years of experience in the law enforcement profession. Being focused on holistic interagency wraparound services and transformational policing for crime reduction, Davis’ research-driven work is strongly influenced by the practical application of the latest tools in technology, predictive policing, leadership development, and all-important community engagement.
She began her career with the City of Atlanta Police Department where she learned the importance of forging relationships with Atlanta’s diverse community. As a Commander she led the Special Operations Section, which included Organized Crime, SWAT, Mounted Patrol, Motors, Helicopter Unit, Vice & Narcotics, and all Federal Task Force Officers. In addition, she served as the Internal Affairs Commander, the Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson Airport Precinct Commander, and served on Executive Loan as a Project Manager to the Mayor’s Office.
After her promotion to Deputy Chief, she led the Strategies & Special Projects Division, overseeing the Department’s new Video Integration Center (VIC), a real time crime center where she ensured more than 3000 public and private sector cameras were included in the citywide network. Also, under her leadership was Planning & Research, Accreditation(CALEA), the Atlanta Police Leadership Institute (APLI), capital projects, facility improvements and more. Davis retired in June 2016 to accept the position of Chief of Police for the City of Durham, NC.
As the Chief of Police, Davis made great strides towards improving the Durham Police Department’s outreach and crime reduction efforts by building trust between citizens and law enforcement and fostering sustainable partnerships with key stakeholders.
In April of 2021, Chief Davis was selected by Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland as the first female police chief for the Memphis Police Department. She began her tenure as the Chief of Police for the Memphis Police Department on June 14, 2021.
Chief Davis is a graduate of the 225th Session of the National FBI Academy and completed senior management training at the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) in Boston, MA. Chief Davis has experienced training opportunities abroad at the Emergency Preparedness College in York, England, and as a participant in a leadership exchange session in Tel Aviv, Israel with the Israel National Police.
She is a past President of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives(NOBLE), and testified as a subject matter expert before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committeeon the matter of Police Reform, in the aftermath of recent police injustices. She has since been featured on Good Morning America, CNN, and other networks as a law enforcement subjectmatter expert on similar topics.
She serves on the Board of Directors for Major Cities Chiefs (MCCA) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), and was appointed to North Carolina Governor, Roy Cooper’s Racial Equity in Criminal Justice Task Force to help facilitate police reform in the state of North Carolina. These organizations aim to implement procedural justice by action and diversity in the police force. Involvement with these groups heavily influenced Davis’ principles of policing and lead her strategic focus for the work required in the Memphis Police Department. In the short time she has been Chief of Police in Memphis she has made great strides in recruiting record breaking numbers of officers, focusing on racial and gender diversity, community, and business partnerships, and increasing crime reduction efforts through laser focused data driven policing. Davis has also implemented the growing public/private camera network known as Connect2Memphis.
Throughout her career, she has received numerous awards and commendations, to include Atlanta Police Supervisor of the Year, and featured in OPRAH ‘O’ Magazine as winner of the“Women Rule” competition, where she was recognized for establishing a women’s mentoring initiative entitled, “Sisters-In- Law.” In 2013, she was featured in Atlanta’s Women Looking Ahead Magazine as one of Georgia’s 100 Most Influential Women.
Chief Davis is a sought-after public speaker on the subject of Leadership, Organizational Change and Strategic Planning. Davis has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice and a Master’s degree in General Administration. She is the proud wife of a very supportive husband, Terry Davis (retired law enforcement) for 30 years, and mother of one daughter.