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This week, the President came to Memphis and declared that the “cloud of crime” here is gone. We may not agree on everything, but we can agree on this: crime in Memphis is significantly lower than it was two years ago. And no matter where your political affiliation falls, lower crime is a win for all of us.
The progress we have made did not start in October 2025; our crime-reduction strategy began on January 1, 2024, led by MPD and our local partners. It is grounded in a focused, data-driven approach to combating violent crime and repeat offenders. By September 2025, before the federal task force arrived, serious crime in Memphis was already down nearly 27% from 2023 levels.
Sustaining that progress is the work in front of us. It will take continued focus, continued partnership, and continued investment in the things that actually make communities safer over the long term.
I also want to address something I know people noticed. I was not part of the roundtable during the President’s visit. I was not invited to participate in that discussion, and the schedule shifted that morning in a way that made attending in the audience not workable.
But my job is not to be seen in a room. My job is to make sure Memphis is represented. So I did what I have done from day one. I reached out directly and made sure the White House heard clearly from me on what our city needs to keep this progress going.
On behalf of Memphis, I advocated for targeted federal support in the areas that will help us sustain and build on this progress. That includes expanding community policing and focused deterrence efforts, accelerating housing and blight elimination in the neighborhoods that need it most, improving connectivity so people can access jobs, driving job creation in impacted communities, and strengthening mental health services, workforce training, and reentry support.
My job is not to be seen in a room. My job is to make sure Memphis is represented. So I did what I have done from day one. I reached out directly and made sure the White House heard clearly from me on what our city needs to keep this progress going.
We know these investments are needed to sustain the gains; we know the work must continue, because even with the progress we have made, we were reminded this week why the work cannot slow down.
Earlier this week, in downtown Memphis, there was gunfire involving a group of young people, apparently out of school for Senior Skip Day. That should not be happening anywhere in our city. It is unacceptable.
MPD has released an image of the suspects. Trust me, we will find them. And we will continue to respond. As we move into the warmer months, you will see an increased patrol presence downtown, additional screening at key locations, the deployment of gun detection canines, and a continued exploration of how we implement curfew as part of our public safety strategy.
But enforcement alone is not enough, and it will not solve this by itself. We need more from all of us, and that starts at home.
Parents, stay involved. Check backpacks. Check cars. Know who your kids are spending time with. Ask where they are going and what they are doing. Those conversations matter, and your involvement matters. We cannot do that part for you.
I also want to be clear that we are making real investments across our parks and libraries to create spaces where young people can be young people: spaces where we can grow, create, and build something positive. These are not passive spaces. They are active, intentional environments designed to connect young people to real opportunity.
Cloud901, inside the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, is a space built for Memphis teens to learn, create, and build real skills. Young people are working in music, film, design, and technology, developing talent that connects directly to real opportunities. Take a look at just one of the inspirational stories happening there: See Cloud901 in action. (view the shorter, social version below)
The progress is real. The opportunities are growing. But sustaining it will take all of us staying engaged and doing our part. Memphis is the mission, and Memphis is rising.
City Hall on the Go. Have business to take care of with the City of Memphis, but can’t make it to City Hall? We are coming to YOU! Join us Saturday, March 28, 2026, at the Gaston Community Center, 1048 S Third St, Memphis, TN 38106, from 1:30 pm- 03:30 pm for our very first “City Hall on the Go.”
It’s a “one-stop shop” for services. Residents can take care of “to-dos” including scheduling smoke detector installations, getting library cards, signing children up for Head Start, report problems to 311, register your security cameras with Connect Memphis, get your 901 Pass, pay False Alarm Fees, Complete MATA Plus applications and apply for MATA jobs, register to vote, apply for lead inspection, get a free grease trap, and much more! We hope to see you there! Share and see more about City Hall on the Go, here. |
