MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Crime is a concern in Memphis as the number of homicides climbs to more than 70 just this year.
All the while robberies, thefts and assaults seem to happen every day.
“There was a Craigslist shooting about four houses down from me a couple of months ago,” said Sebastrian Morris from Raleigh.
Neighborhood groups from across the city sat down and shared what they are doing to fight back on Monday.
“Cars being broken into. Occasionally a house being broken into,” said Eddie Halbert from East Memphis.
Around 60 people from neighborhoods including Raleigh, Frayser, Orange Mound, Midtown and Cordova showed up to the meeting at an East Memphis library.
“I don’t want this crime to run from one neighborhood to the next. We need to put a stop to it all over the city,” said organizer DeAndre Brown with Lifeline to Success.
Brown and Operation Safe Community organized the meeting so neighborhood watches and groups could meet with police, community activists and city leaders to talk about what’s working to stop the crime and take the ideas back to their communities.
Some said volunteer programs and cleaning up the blight made a difference in their area.
Halbert said his neighborhood uses an email chain where they continuously send out alerts about anything suspicious.
“We send that information out to 450 of our homes, and then people are on the alert about that. If they see it, they report it to police,” he said.
Police encouraged the ideas and said anything helps, because they’re 400 officers short right now.
They said nosy neighbors who reported crimes helped them solve many recent cases.
Folks took notes and shared contact information.
Many told WREG this seemed to be a good start.
“I’m tired of sitting on the couch and hearing what’s going on. I want to team up with people who are walking and doing something in the community and see where I can help out in,” said Morris.
Organizers said this is just the start.
They plan on holding more meetings, typing up a blue print and handing it out to all neighborhoods.
Police said every precinct holds monthly meetings too where people can meet with police, build relationships and discuss problems.
Just call your precinct for details.
