MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- The state NAACP leaders say for years, they've been hearing stories of alleged excessive use of force and police misconduct at the hands of Rutherford County law enforcement agencies.

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Residents packed a Murfreesboro church Tuesday night to share their personal accounts of encounters with law enforcement in Rutherford County.

NAACP state President Gloria J. Sweet-Love said the civil rights organization is concerned about what happened to Andron Reed, a Memphis teen who died after being locked up in the Rutherford County Jail. His brother claims he heard him being beaten.

"Our concern is you have a healthy young man who is stopped for a traffic stop, and the next morning he's dead in jail," said Sweet-Love.

Sweet-Love said the Reed case is not the only one.

"As my daddy might have said, that's the straw that broke the camel's back," said Sweet-Love.

A number of complaints involving police have been filed with NAACP chapters.

"There is concern in the community about there being unreasonable force by local police department as well as unprofessionalism," said Godie Wade of the Murfreesboro NAACP.

That's why these advocacy groups have joined together to send a message to local law enforcement agencies.

"We're not on a witch hunt," said Tommy Vallejos of the Hispanic Organization for Progress and Education. "We support our law enforcement. We believe in our law enforcement, we believe in law-abiding citizens. But who's protecting those who break the law when it's law enforcement?"

"Our community want law and order," said Pastor James Thomas of the Tennessee Missionary Baptist State Convention. "We respect the law, but we also want the law to respect us."

At the Tuesday night meeting, residents voiced their displeasure with law enforcement.

"I've been harassed by undercover as well as plain-clothes officers," said Lakeisha Morgan.

NAACP leaders said they have received similar complaints including misconduct and brutality.

A representative with the U.S. Justice Department Community Relations Division attended Tuesday's meeting to hear the complaints.

"We want the entire process to be transparent so that everything is above board," Sweet-Love said.

The U.S. Department of Justice said it will be looking into these allegations, but their main job is to serve as a peacemaker for community conflicts and tensions that may arise.