Shelby County Commissioner Amber Mills slammed District Attorney Steve Mulroy on “Wake Up Memphis” Monday for how criminals under his administration are getting slaps on the wrist for serious offenses.
Mills told host Ben Deeter that Mulroy is going out of his way to make sure the criminals have more support than the victims do when it comes to his proposed policies.
“What about the law-abiding victims that are trying to do right and live right, and we are coddling criminals,” she said. “It’s not the law-abiding citizens who are committing these crimes, it’s the repeat offenders that these Soros-backed DA’s let go on cashless bail and these Democrat-run cities.”CLICK HERE to download the FREE KWAM NewsTalk Memphis App!
DEETER: [00:02:33] We appreciate you stopping by, Commissioner. Out-of-control crime in the suburbs. You heard that letter written in Lakeland, Collierville. We saw in East Memphis going into Germantown. That woman, her purse was almost snatched. She fought back but took it to the head. All these gray areas that people were moving to avoid becoming the top headlines in the news cycle are now coming to their areas. What’s happening and what’s happening on the county level to address these real concerns, Commissioner? [00:02:34][1.6]
MILLS: [00:03:05] Well, you know, crime does not discriminate. They don’t just pick people living in an urban or suburban setting. Everybody has the potential to be a victim at the county level. What we have done we have fully funded our sheriff’s department. We have given them all the tools they have asked for to do their job. And in the process, we are trying to help them further because of the shortage of jailers and corrections officers. They are now having to use deputies that would normally be on the street patrolling to carry to do the job of the jailers, hauling people who are at the corrections center or at the jail to either a court or to a medical visit or whatever. So on that front, we are more the purse strings for the county and the only law enforcement officers that the county funds are Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. [00:04:09][64.0]DEETER: [00:04:10] Hmm. In this city the mayor is screaming, Mayor Jim Strickland. He says right now we have a system that is not working. He calls it the revolving door. On the juvenile side, he’s called it. And in an interview with us, he said it’s a revolving door on steroids. And he released this in his weekly update. I want to read a portion of this. He starts the letter by talking about those eight teenagers arrested for stealing cars and running from cops. Several of them had guns, including there were 3 13-year-olds. I mean, it was insane to see this story. All of them were back out onto the streets. The 18-year-old was released without bond on his own recognizance. And so the mayor finishes his sentence, and that was signed off by judicial Commissioner Serena Gray. Responsible for signing off on the release of that 18-year-old. He finishes the letter by talking about we need to do better. He says the type of justice is unacceptable. It sends the wrong message to criminals that there is no repercussions for dangerous criminal actions. So he’s out there calling out the judicial commissioners, but they aren’t elected, as I understand. They’re appointed by you guys. So what can be done? And is there any way we’ll see oversight into these judicial commissioners? [00:05:03][53.1]
MILLS: [00:05:33] That is one thing we have been looking into. I know Commissioner Wright and I, we did a tour. We got to see the process, and how it works. There are some concerns about how people are set, the rate they’re set to be able to get out of jail waiting for their day in court. And this cashless bail proposal that’s coming up. I mean, we’ve seen it’s been a disaster in New York, putting criminals back on the street with offenders back onto our streets to commit more crime. And just a set out of New York that cashless bail took effect. Over 40% of those released on non-monetary bail for violent felonies have been rearrested while those charges are pending. So we have a map we don’t want to follow, but for whatever reason, it seems we want to use that map. [00:06:24][50.4]
DEETER: [00:06:30] And it’s a dangerous map to follow. And you’re talking about the new bail reform program, which will officially debut in less than a month. February 15th is when that’s coming. Now, the D.A. is all behind this, and he says Shelby County will be reforming its bail system, letting more defendants out of jail after their arrest in order to ensure equity and have less disruption to the lives of the accused. Now, your response to that, Commissioner. [00:06:40][10.2]MILLS: [00:06:59] What about the law-abiding victims that are trying to do right and live right, and we are coddling criminals. It’s not the law-abiding citizens who are committing these crimes. It’s the repeat offenders that the Soros-backed DAs let go on cashless bail and these Democrat-run cities. [00:07:18][19.4]
DEETER: [00:07:20] Yeah, I certainly agree. I mean, he told us what he would do, and yet we elected him anyhow. Sheriff Bonner is warning of civil unrest when body cam footage is released. City Councilman Frank Colvett joined us last hour and confirmed that report that law enforcement on the local state level will be prepared to handle what could be some pretty big protests across the city. What are you hearing on the county level? [00:07:23][3.5]
MILLS: [00:07:45] I know the Shelby County Sheriff’s office; they’re preparing all the agencies in Shelby County. They work together when a situation like this comes up. So they plan ahead for this, to prepare for what could happen, what hopefully does not happen to keep us safe. I know they’re there prepared and ready. I hope people are peaceful. I hope people aren’t being busted or flown in to cause trouble and wreak havoc in Shelby County. [00:08:17][31.9]
DEETER: [00:08:19] What would you tell your constituents who are awaiting the release of this video when it is released to the public? What do you want them to remember? [00:08:25][6.6]
MILLS: [00:08:28] Just listen to the full story. Don’t take a snippet. Don’t take and know that this does not represent the whole of law enforcement. Law enforcement are good people out there protecting us. Just because there’s one bad doctor. We don’t wash all the doctors off the map for it. And our teachers, you don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater, so to speak. So don’t blanket judge. Our law enforcement officers do a great job. They are out there protecting us so that we can live our life and rest our heads at night. And it’s a tough job. [00:09:08][40.4]
DEETER: [00:09:09] Certainly is. Shelby County Commissioner Amber Mills, I appreciate you joining us on this busy Monday morning. Have a great day, and stop by any time. [00:09:16][7.1]
MILLS: [00:09:17] Thank you.
LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH COMMISSIONER MILLS BELOW:
