MEMPHIS, Tenn. — More than 90 people were killed on the streets of Memphis so far in 2016, and city homicide detectives have their hands full with trying to catch all of the bad guys.
WREG learned the Memphis Police Department’s homicide division is short-staffed and forced to add officers from other units to meet the demand.
Regardless, MPD has solved 66 homicide cases so far this year.
It has become a familiar scene: police cars, crime tape and families in pain.
“I guess I go numb when I start thinking about getting tired. I want to get it done. I’m thinking about the victim’s family. I’m thinking about the victims,” Maj. Caroline Mason, with the Memphis Police Department, said.
Homicide detectives are working hard to get killers in jail.
There are currently 26 unsolved homicides out of a staggering 91 killings. According to police, the department is at a 71 percent homicide solve rate compared to a 78 percent solve rate and more than 160 homicides in all of the last year.
“We’re trying to bring justice to the families and bring these guys to justice,” Major Mason said.
The MPD homicide unit usually has 20 detectives when fully staffed.
There are currently only 18 detectives on staff.
“We have brought in about five people from investigative services — from other units such as felony response, other GIBs and moving them over to help with the manpower shortage for right now,” Mason explained.
Mason, the commander over investigative services, said none of the transferred officers were pulled from uniform patrol.
“I wouldn’t say — I mean it hasn’t negatively impacted us. I would say it’s — we’re making it work,” she said.
Mason told WREG those officers moved to homicide have undergone extensive training, but she credited the public with helping solve the cases.
“People are calling, stepping forward. That’s what we need.”
MPD said people seem to be fed up with all of the crime and have been calling CrimeStoppers with information.
The tips helped detectives make more than one dozen arrests so far in May.
