First half of 2026 sees continued decline in crime
“We should be encouraged by the significant progress we’ve made in our crime rate,” said Crime Commission President Bill Gibbons.
Topic: crime
RSSThere are 122 article(s) tagged crime:
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July 2026
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June 2026
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With Memphis as a ‘model city,’ feds offer other towns money to fight crime
Cities are encouraged to apply for a portion of $300 million in federal money to reduce crime, but that money comes with strings attached in terms of anti-immigration efforts.
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May 2026
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Arlington mayor’s shoplifting case dismissed
The shoplifting charge against Arlington Mayor Mike Wissman was dismissed after an appearance in General Sessions court.
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April 2026
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DeSoto County district attorney reflects on time in office, outlines plan to speed up court cases
Desoto County District Attorney Matthew Barton says he is making strides in cutting crime, and intends to continue to serve as the county’s top prosecutor.
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Crime fell in first quarter of 2026, commission says
The news of continually declining crime rates comes as anecdotes about local shootings have piled up recently.
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Man charged with attempting to kidnap mayor enters plea
The man accused of attempting to kidnap Memphis Mayor Paul Young last year has been sentenced and will be released from jail. He also may get to sit-down and talk with the mayor soon.
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2 more mass shooting victims file $15M suits against Youth Villages
The two were both shot April 9, 2025, during a meeting of Youth Village’s SWITCH program in Hickory Hill.
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March 2026
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Memphis continues to see ‘huge’ drop in crime in 2026
MPD Chief C.J. Davis showed the Memphis City Council data for the first two months of 2026 that showed multi-double-digit percentage drops year over year in crime.
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February 2026
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Ask the Memphian: What was The Gray Hat Mystery?
A slain businessman, known as the “Hot Tamale King.” A young, fedora-wearing detective. And a tantalizing clue: a gray felt hat, left near the scene of the crime.
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December 2025
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Ask the Memphian: How did an Australian prime minister lose his pants in Memphis?
The Memphis Trousers Affair: One night in 1986, a former Australian prime minister endured his worst day in the Bluff City.
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Sign of the times: DA Barton warns Memphis criminals to turn around
DeSoto County prosecutor Matthew Barton has a message for criminals coming from the north — your kind is not wanted in that county.
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November 2025
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Former county corrections employee pleads guilty to taking bribe
A former employee of the Shelby County Division of Corrections pleaded guilty to taking a bribe in exchange for providing contraband to an inmate.
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October 2025
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One month in, Task Force is impacting crime. And straining the local justice system
The Memphis Safe Task Force is a month old. The federal law enforcement surge has impacted local crime rates but also strained parts of the local justice system many don’t ever see.
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MPD sergeant arrested for domestic violence
A Memphis Police Department sergeant was arrested Tuesday by the Oakland Police Department.
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New stats illustrate Memphis crime climate prior to Task Force’s arrival
Crime data from the first three quarters of 2025 reveals where the city’s crime rate stood before the federal law enforcement saturation.
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September 2025
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Ask the Memphian: Justin Timberlake, his tequila and two annoyed women: How 901 Day began
After a barrage of ads for Justin Timberlake’s 901 Tequila annoyed them, two social media whizzes came up with the idea for 901 Day. Thirteen years later, it’s bigger than ever.
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DNA links Texas murders to the 1997 rape of a Memphis girl
A Memphis rape kit from 1997 links to an assault in Dyersburg, Tennessee, plus the 1991 murder of four girls at an Austin, Texas, yogurt shop.
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Bond set on day two of hearing for DeAndre, Vinessa Brown
“I’m absolutely befuddled why the city government, why the county government and why the state of Tennessee would give money to a person to run a nonprofit organization when they had been convicted of stealing money from a nonprofit organization in the past,” said Criminal Court Judge Lee Coffee.
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What Mayor Young said is reducing crime in Memphis
Memphis Mayor Paul Young pointed to three things Friday, Sept. 12, he believes have reduced crime in light of the announcement that President Donald Trump would send the National Guard to the city.
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MPD touts overall crime at 25-year low
The Memphis Police Department reported in July crime was down 20% overall compared to the same point in 2024. At the time, other major cities were also seeing declines.
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Teen and mother charged in 901 Day Beale Street shooting
The 16-year-old has been charged with attempted second-degree murder. His mother has been charged with being an accessory after the fact.
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August 2025
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Can Shelby County secure a new jail?
Understaffing, overcrowding, extended intake times, drug use, broken jail locks and elevators and medical problems up to and including multiple inmate deaths are just some entries on the current facility’s long list of troubles.
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Two area legislators want TBI to audit MPD crime stats
State Sen. Brent Taylor and state Rep. John Gillespie say they have heard about instances of felony crimes being reclassified as misdemeanors. They say an audit is “critical to maintaining transparency, accountability, and the public’s trust in our justice system.”
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July 2025
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Two heads are better than one for driving down Memphis crime, but perception issues linger
Even though the Memphis Police Department’s numbers point to a decrease in crime, some in the city are skeptical.
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Data dive: Numbers behind the story of Memphis’ crime decline
The trend lines are clear on almost all fronts. After reaching high points in 2023, crime in Memphis is trending down at a higher rate through the first half of 2025 than it did through the first half of 2024.
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