DeSoto County district attorney highlights plunging crime rates, stiff penalties at chamber luncheon

By , Daily Memphian Updated: April 08, 2026 4:26 PM CT | Published: April 08, 2026 3:58 PM CT

DeSoto County District Attorney Matthew Barton delivered a confident message to local business leaders Wednesday, declaring DeSoto County safe and citing a 38% drop in overall crime during the last couple of years.

Speaking to the Olive Branch Chamber of Commerce at the Whispering Woods Conference Center, Barton used his “State of the County” address to connect aggressive law enforcement tactics directly to the region’s economic prosperity.

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Topics

Matthew Barton DeSoto County crime stats Olive Branch Chamber of Commerce
Brandon LaGrone II

Brandon LaGrone II

Brandon LaGrone Jr. is a Bluff City native who has earned an undergraduate degree in journalism from LSU’s Manship School. He’s written for publications including The (Baton Rouge) Advocate and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

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