MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A vote expected on the reappointment of Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis was tabled by City Council on Tuesday, at the suggestion of Mayor Paul Young.

That means Davis, whose job as chief could have ended with the vote, will continue serving in an interim capacity until a vote is taken.

The date for that vote was not determined Tuesday. It will take seven votes by City Council to bring the item back for a vote.

“We are in a crisis right now. Not just the reality of crime, but the perception of crime. My goal is to resolve the chaos,” Young said. “My support for Chief Davis has not wavered — we’re going to use this time to show and prove.”

Young stood beside Davis later at the meeting — surrounded by audience members holding signs both for and against Davis — and said he understands that many in the community have doubts about Davis’ performance.

“Everyone in this room wants the same thing. We all want a safer city. We all agree that where we are right now is untenable. Three hundred ninety-eight homicides,” Young said, referencing the record-shattering number set last year.

Davis also addressed City Council and thanked them for holding off on a vote that could have cost her job.

“My heart is here. My heart is with our officers,” she said. “I look forward to making progress in the city of Memphis.”

Council chairman J.B. Smiley said the action was the result of a compromise reached between council and the mayor’s office.

“What you saw today is two entities … come together and say, how do we move forward while we’re at odds. I think the intern appointment is what they asked us to do,” Smiley said. 

Two weeks ago, 7 out of 13 council members voted for a negative recommendation on the mayor’s reappointment of Davis to the chief’s job. Six council members voted for a favorable recommendation.

Council woman Jerri Green says a change in leadership might be needed, while the Memphis NAACP says Chief Davis deserves more time.

“We’ve been in the national spotlight for horrendous things like the case of Tyre Nichols, facing a DOJ investigation, multiple lawsuits that are in the billions of dollars,” Green said. “We’re seeing police officers being decertified. There are reports of recruitments taking place in Puerto Rico and spending $50,000 on that and getting nobody to come back.”

But the Memphis NAACP, which is supporting Davis, says many of the city’s problems pre-date her arrival.

“Once we (NAACP) voted, we decided Chief Davis was the right person for this position to help with the crime issues here in Memphis and we all know Memphis had a lot of issues, major problems going on with the police department before Chief Davis got here,” said Vickie Terry, executive director.

The police beating of Tyre Nichols happened while Davis was police chief. But Terry says Davis has provided leadership.

“Let’s go back to Tyre Nichols, if Chief Davis had not acted as swiftly as she did with the firing of those officers, think about those officers who could still be on administrative leave or still on the payroll if it had not been for her,” Terry said. “So, we just wanted to make sure that we gave her a chance and we want the community to give her a chance.”

But now some community activists and elected leaders appear divided.

“It just doesn’t seem like in good faith after knocking on all of those doors and hearing people say we want a change, we can continue with what we’ve seen,” Green said.

WREG reached out to several council members on Monday, but many didn’t respond to our emails and phone calls.

Monday, members of the Memphis Police Association — a union representing police officers — met with Mayor Paul Young at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church.

“The MPA coordinated this meeting as a forum for their members to be heard by – and to hear from – Mayor Young,” a City Hall spokesperson said. “The meeting went well and he greatly appreciated the depth and candor of the dialogue; he looks forward to this being the beginning of regular and ongoing communication with the officers who serve in our MPD.”