The Meridian City Council is set to decide on Tuesday whether or not to rename a portion of E Street after a fallen police officer.

Meridian Police Department’s Kennis Croom was shot and killed responding to a domestic violence call on June 9, 2022. His death, and the death of Brittany Jones, who was in a relationship with the suspected shooter and was also shot and killed in the June 9 incident, kicked off a statewide manhunt that ended with police taking the suspected shooter into custody near Ackerman the following day.

In a February work session, the council heard from Croom’s parents, Kelvin and Tracy Croom, who asked council members to support the street naming initiative. The council has also heard from MPD leadership and other city officials as it works through the street naming process.

The action before the council will be a name overlay and not a full renaming of the street. A name overlay, which is what the city did with the portion of 22nd Avenue known as Sela Ward Parkway, allows the city to honor deserving individuals by renaming a street without creating problems for the city’s first responders by disrupting the E-911 addressing system.

In addition to renaming the street, a representative from Meridian Police Department will be heading to Washington D.C. later this month as Croom’s name will be added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. A ceremony adding his, and the names of other fallen officers, to the memorial wall will be held during National Police Week, which is observed May 14-20.

Police Chief Deborah Naylor Young had asked that Croom’s partner, Officer Crystin Latta, be MPD’s representative for Washington trip, but has since determined Latta will be unable to attend. Another officer is set to represent the police department in her place.

In other business, the City Council is set to:

•accept a contract with Waste Pro for storm debris pickup;

•accept a contract with P.A.S.S. Security to provide security at city properties; and,

•begin advertising for requests for qualifications for storm debris pick up.