Police Chief CJ Davis-Girl Talk Speaker Series

In celebration of Women’s History Month, Memphis Police Department Chief CJ Davis shared her story as part of our Girl Talk Speaker Series. Her topic, The Journey to Protect and Serve, detailed her background, education, and experience, all of which led to her current role as Memphis’ first female Police Chief.

Chief Davis discussed the importance of being a lifelong learner and shared with the girls many of the exciting opportunities she has had to learn new things-both in and outside of the law enforcement field. She spoke with the students about the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people - people “who lift you up.”

Lastly, Chief Davis fielded questions from students about the most difficult parts of her job, how she handles the stress, and what it has been like to rise through the ranks in a predominantly male field. When asked about people who may have doubted her along the way, she shared “I did not pay attention to them. You have to be your own biggest fan!”

“We believe that our students need to engage with community leaders who spark excitement and inspiration as they think about their future endeavors,” said Kathy Boccia, Lower School Dean. “We tell the girls ‘If you can see it, you can be it.’ and today they were able to spend time with a truly inspiring woman. I hope some of them could ‘see’ their future today.”

Chief Davis has over 35 years of experience in law enforcement. She began her career with the City of Atlanta Police Department where she was assigned to a variety of specialized assignments as a young patrol officer and quickly moved through the ranks. During her career, Chief Davis made great strides in outreach and crime reduction by building trust between citizens and law enforcement. In April of 2021, Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland selected Chief Davis as the first female police chief for the Memphis Police Department. She began her career as the MPD Police Chief on June 14, 2021.