Arrested MPD Officers Resign

Memphis, Tn - Three Memphis Police Officers arrested last week have resigned from the police department. The three were arrested on federal extortion and bribery charges, Friday. Personnel files show the Lieutenant who was arrested, has had multiple disciplinary issues with the police department while the two patrolmen did not.

Friday, Lieutenant Timothy Green, patrolmen Christopher Crawford and Michael Young were arrested for extortion and bribery. All three worked out of the Ridgeway precinct.

People who live near there, aren't surprised. Michelle Watkins says, "Seems like it's becoming the norm."

Court documents allege, the 3 took more than $12,000 from a local nightclub owner in exchange for information about upcoming police operations.

Investigators don't name the club but Green's disciplinary file shows he was in charge of the blue crush detail at Visions nightclub. In November, he was suspended for 4 days for not answering his radio for nearly an hour after an incident at Visions.

People who live in the area say the club is always busy. "Sometimes it's so crowded people lined up around the corner a lot of officers there all the time," says Nancy Campbell.

Green's personnel file shows he was suspended at least 16 days since he joined the force in 1987. He was disciplined for everything from a domestic violence arrest to pawning a possible stolen gun and using a police tactical van to drive his brother-in-law to someone's home to try to settle a dispute over a car.

Patrolman Crawford, who was with the department since 2003, had a write up for a car crash.
He was married to Taffi Crawford, the nurse allegedly killed by a Memphis firefighter last month. His file shows he was injured in 2004 when his convoy was ambushed outside Iraq.

Young-had no disciplinary record. He was commended twice for his ability to deal with mentally ill patients.

Crawford and Young resigned from the police department Friday.
Green resigned Monday afternoon.

Michelle Watkins, who has a young son, calls the arrests sad, "It is a bad example and it's wrong, also scary to know what they're gonna grow up into the type of environment they're gonna grow into."