Week Two!

Welcome to (the City of) Memphis. This week, we welcomed the first of our new senior staff to the official city of Memphis roster when our City Council approved three members of my appointed slate – Tannera Gibson, Chief Legal Officer; Eric Keane, Chief Information Officer; and Fire Chief Gina Sweat. I am excited about the energy of our whole team, both returning and new appointees, and I am looking forward to having all of them approved by our City Council later this month. However, if you watched the council meeting this week, or any of the news coverage following the meeting, you know that one of my appointees faced some tough questions and opposition on her path to being approved.  

As I have expressed before, I believe she is the right person to lead us out of this current situation. She is not only a skilled leader capable of handling one of the toughest crisis situations any police chief could endure, but she is also deeply committed to finding solutions to stop the chaos and crime in our city. In our discussions and before Council on Tuesday, Chief Davis reiterated her commitment to transparency, data sharing, and enhancing internal and external communication. These qualities are imperative for anyone leading the charge to heal our community and create a safer Memphis. 

Leading up to Tuesday’s vote, I received many messages from Memphians expressing their views on this particular appointment, some for and some against - I read them all. While I appreciate all of your input, please know that my belief in Chief Davis’ ability to lead our police department remains constant. Our public safety problem is complex. Poverty, blight, the lingering effects of COVID, and state laws all play strong roles in our current public safety narrative. The problem isn’t simple, and the solution will require a multi-pronged approach. We must work in the prevention, intervention, and suppression realms. And it will take a strong police department, along with our entire community working together to change the course.

I appreciate your support as we move forward. 

Appointments aren’t the only developments we are watching this week. 

(click to watch Mayor Young's inclement weather message)

Unfortunately, we are also tracking the first major winter storm of 2024. We obviously cannot control the weather, but we will work to mitigate the negative impact of snow, ice, downed trees and poles as quickly as possible, and we ask for your cooperation to help keep our community safe. We have compiled info and helpful links from City of Memphis, MLGW, Hospitality Hub, MATA, Memphis Animal Services, and more at MemphisTn.gov/weatherinfo. Please follow our social channels for up-to-date information and news. And, view our winter weather press conference here. 

In partnership and preparation, 

Paul A. Young

 

 

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