MEMPHIS, Tenn. — On Tuesday, the Downtown Memphis Commission and the Memphis Police Department showed the Memphis City Council how their new Beale Street Bucks program is working so far.
The program started at the beginning of the summer after several violent weekends in the Entertainment District.
Early Sunday morning on May 23, 18-year-old Myneisha Johnson was gunned down at Second and Peabody while out celebrating her high school graduation.
In the weeks that followed there was a stampede on Beale Street and a random crime spree that left Memphis Police Officer Verdell Smith dead and two other men in critical condition.
The violence forced city leaders to call for change.
The Beale Street Bucks program began at the beginning of June.
On Saturday nights Beale Street go-ers pay $10 starting at 10 p.m. to get on the street.
They are then given a $7 voucher to use at businesses on the street.
“We’re doing a really good job of balancing public safety with keeping the economy and vibrancy of the street,” said Terence Patterson.
On Tuesday, Patterson, President of the Downtown Memphis Commission and the Memphis Police Department gave their first update for how their Beale Street Bucks program is working.
Part of the demonstration was showing the Council before and after pictures of the street when the bucks were and were not implemented.
The picture taken on the night the bucks program was in place showed significantly less foot traffic on the road, but Patterson said that is also a good thing.
“It looks like now the street isn’t as busy but in actuality it is because now businesses and shops and the restaurants are seeing more traffic and more economics,” he explained.
However not everyone agreed.
The Beale Street Development Corporation said they’ve seen businesses take a major hit.
Business aside, MPD said the Entertainment District has a strong law enforcement presence.
They’ve added new, jersey barriers to help with traffic and crowd control.
They also help protect people out walking on the street.
The Downtown Commission said it is also looking to add 10 more of the barriers.
MPD also showed where Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputies have been placed throughout the district.
In the last few weeks with heightened patrols there have also been 22 felony arrests, 67 misdemeanor arrests and 6 guns have been taken off the street.
“We recover almost 3,000 guns every year single year. So no I’m not surprised. We know our challenges,” said Interim Police Director Mike Rallings.
Patterson said it is difficult to tell how the number of visitors they’re seeing to the street differs compared to this time last year because records were not kept then.
The Beale Street Bucks program is scheduled to run throughout the busy summer months and Patterson said at the end of the tourist season they will reevaluate to see how it worked.
