MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Over a week after the initial deployment of the “Memphis Safe Task Force” by federal authorities, the long-awaited arrival of the National Guard to the streets of Memphis breaches the horizon.
At a Tuesday, Oct. 7 press conference, Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis signaled that National Guardsmen would likely arrive in Memphis by Friday, Oct. 10.
That came to fruition this morning, as local news sources spotted National Guard troops patrolling in areas of downtown Memphis alongside MPD. Among those areas were Riverside Park and the Bass Pro Shops Pyramid.
Neither the city of Memphis nor the Federal Government, however, have released any concrete information regarding how many National Guardsmen are to be deployed; Davis does estimate that “700 visitors…or more” will deploy to Memphis for patrols.
For all that is to come, the Memphis Safe Task Force, composed largely of federal prosecutors and law enforcement agents, has already taken significant steps at mitigating crime in Memphis.
According to an Oct. 9 social media post by Attorney General Pam Bondi, 562 arrests by the task force have taken place in just the past week. 144 “illegal guns” have been seized by federal authorities as well.
Despite the political tension which these measures have prompted, Memphis Mayor Paul Young has stated that local and federal authorities have enjoyed relatively constructive dialogue over the past week, despite his self-stated reservations regarding the White House’s stance on crime in the city.
“I’ve been on the record to say this was not something that I decided…It was something that the governor and the president decided, and, as mayor of the city, it’s my job to make sure it’s coordinated well within our community. We are remaining at the table, and I will say the level of communication has been enhanced. We’re having daily dialogue,” Young told reporters from ABC24 on Monday.
“The Memphis Safe Task Force has been in operation for about a week now. Our teams at the Memphis Police Department have had enhanced communication and coordination with them, and I’m hopeful that as the task force continues to move forward, we’re going to continue to push an emphasis on violent crime,” Young went on to say.
While the political ramifications behind events in Memphis will likely dominate local and national discussion for weeks to come, it’s important to note that despite the divisive nature of recent events within the city, local leadership has taken a stance which seems to put the interests of Memphians above existing partisan divides.
“One of the things that we have really worked with them to do is try and focus the work of this effort on violent crime and really engage this task force in executing warrants and doing the things that are really going to help us drive down violent crime,” said Young in an Oct. 8 town hall hosted by the Memphis chapter of the NAACP.
As of now, no timeline has been placed on the longevity of the Guard’s deployment.
