Yesterday, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and I announced the creation of what we know will be a transformative agency in our community - the Joint Office of Neighborhood Safety & Engagement. There are many similar organizations around the country, but according to Shantay Jackson, Director of the National Offices of Violence Prevention Network, ours is a first in that it is a joint City and County agency. This is a big step.
The office is designed to consolidate our current city and county safety-related programming with the goal of creating a more collaborative, community-focused approach to reducing violence and crime by addressing the root causes. In this time in our nation’s development, where community safety and engagement are paramount, this office represents a collaborative commitment to fostering environments where meaningful change can happen.
Traditional approaches to safety, often solely dependent on law enforcement, have fallen short in confronting the root causes of violence, the victims of violence, and the lasting impact of crime and violence in the community. With the Joint Office, we are committed to addressing these issues with a holistic, people-focused approach. The efforts of this agency are not intended to supplant law enforcement but rather to complement the suppression work that MPD is undertaking.
Let’s be clear: we aren’t inventing - or reinventing - the wheel here. So much of this work is already happening in multiple nonprofits and agencies across our community, but they were siloed and competing against each other for resources.
The new office will help these agencies work together, using shared data to make fuel and further the work. Our vision is that organizations like the 901 Bloc Squad, Violence Intervention Program, Memphis Allies, and other community groups will work alongside the office and be strengthened by the collaboration and conjoining of efforts.
One of the intended benefits of this kind of agency is increased access to capital. We simply need to find more money for the work we are doing, and need to do, in Memphis. For reference, Atlanta has received around $416 million in public safety funding from the federal government since 2021, while Memphis has only received $24 million in that same time frame. This office will be dedicated to increasing that number.
Every day, when I am in the community talking with civic groups, residents, and students, I hear testimony that our community is ready for change. I believe that change will require an innovative and focused approach. This office will help us stay aligned, intentional, and on-track. My goal for this team is that they wake up every day thinking about how to restore peace and hope to our community.
ONS and OVP agencies have been successful in other markets. Pittsburgh saw a 42% reduction in crime in the first year of their agency work, and Baltimore has seen violence drop by double digits every year since beginning this work.
Our intent is for this office to allow us to speak with one voice in support of the young people who need intervention, the victims, and those at risk. Through the Joint Office, we will use that one voice and advocate for the resources we need to do the heavy lifting of the restoration work our community needs because the city I love is a hopeful city, an innovative city, and a city with a heart for our neighbors. My hope is to also make our city a role model for collaboration and progress as it relates to neighborhood safety and violence prevention.
This effort is not intended to supplant law enforcement, but rather to complement the suppression work that MPD is undertaking."
The office will be led by Valerie Matthews, from the County, as its Director and Tamika Williams, from the City, as Deputy Director. Please reach out to them and tell them congratulations.
*Check out the Office of Justice Programs searchable awards map here.
Good News!
Do you have good news to share? We would love to share it! Send us a note at goodnews@memphistn.gov
Weekly Crime Trend
The report below provides our weekly update on Part 1 Crimes. It updates daily and shows a continuous rolling 7-day total compared to the prior 7-day total. The charts on the right show the calendar week trend, comparing 2023 to 2024.
(We maintain two crime dashboards, the Weekly Crime Trend report can be found here, and the Crime Analytics dashboard can be accessed here.)
Our Strike Team worked in the following zip codes this week: 38116, 38118, 38127, 38128
Community Engagement:
EDGE Receives CDFA Award. The Economic Development Growth Engine for Memphis and Shelby received the 2024 CDFA Award. The CDFA Development Finance Agency Achievement Award recognizes outstanding development finance agencies whose programs, leaders, and projects have greatly benefited their communities. See more and share here.
Social and Community Shout-outs:
Free Mulch Giveaway. Join us at Shelby Farms for a FREE Mulch Giveaway on Saturday, November 16, from 8am to 4pm. Perfect for your fall gardening projects! See full details here.
Whitehaven’s Winter Coat Drive. Whitehaven Branch Library will be hosting their 4th Annual Boys Winter Coat Drive from now through December 5. Let's join the community in providing coats for our young boys to stay warm. See full details here.
Teen Arts Festival. Teen painters, sculptors, designers, etc. will showcase and sell their artwork at Benjamin L. Hooks Library on November 16 from 11am-2pm. Don’t miss the fun! See more and share here.
Memphis Animal Services.This weekend, give a shelter dog their best day ever with a Foster Field Trip! It’s a fun, easy way to make a huge difference in a pup’s life while giving them a break from the shelter. Ready to be a hero? Sign up here.
Weekly round-up
🌟 Weekly Round-Up: Celebrating Fall, Empowering Youth, and Promoting Safety! 🌟
This week in Memphis was packed with excitement, inspiration, and new initiatives:
Collaborative Neighborhood Safety Initiative 🏘️🚔
Civic Engagement at St. Mary’s 🗣️🌟
Fall Festival Fun 🍂🎉
MOYS Takes JSU 🎓🎶🏈
Join us in celebrating these moments of connection, inspiration, and progress for our city! 🎉👏 #MemphisStrong #YouthEmpowerment #NeighborhoodSafety #FallFestivalFun
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