Memphis Safe Task Force to mark one year, data shows plateau in crime rate
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – The Memphis Safe Task Force is approaching its one-year anniversary. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee detailed plans for the operation one year ago today, three days before the task force arrived.
Task force launch
President Trump announced he would send the National Guard and more than a dozen federal agencies to Memphis to combat crime, following a similar deployment in Washington, D.C., earlier in 2025. Governor Lee said the state provided $100 million in funding to give Memphis access to federal law enforcement at what officials described as an unprecedented scale.
Lee said his goal for the task force was for Memphis to be recognized as one of the safest cities in America.
“When people recognize the city of Memphis as one of the safest places in America, that’ll be a success,” Lee said.
One year of crime data
The city’s SAFE data dashboard shows a 37% drop in serious crimes compared to the same time period before the task force began operations, along with a 16% drop in calls for service. The data also shows the crime rate has plateaued since the initial decline, with no visible downward trend since then.
In March, President Trump said further declines in crime would follow.
“You haven’t seen it yet. We’ve just been here a short while. In another two or three months, you’re gonna have like no crime,” Trump said.
The task force has made more than 13,000 arrests and seized over 2,000 firearms since the operation began.
Earlier this month, Governor Lee said there are no plans to end the task force operation.
“We don’t have any reason to believe there is any imminent change in that partnership with the federal government. I’m incredibly proud in what’s happening there, the best crime statistics in Memphis in 25 years,” Lee said.
Criticism of the operation
City council members, faith leaders and local business owners have criticized the task force over the past year, citing six civilian deaths during task force operations and a high rate of arrests for nonviolent offenses.
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