MEMPHIS, Tenn.– Leaders at the Memphis Police Department presented new crime numbers to city council members this week.
Homicides and interstate shootings. These are two things we unfortunately hear about too much. But new numbers from the Memphis Police Department show a shift.
Memphis Police Chief CJ Davis and her team presented the crime trends to city council members Wednesday.
So far this year, there’s a 42 percent decrease in interstate shootings. With 21 reported so far this year, compared to 36 at the same time last year.
Police also showed a breakdown by police precinct of where murders happen in town. The Raines precinct in Whitehaven has the most with 14. The North Main precinct downtown has reported 5.
They also said based on numbers from last month, there’s a 5 percent decrease in murders.
Downtown was also part of the discussion with council members as Chief Davis told them “if you lose your downtown, you lose your city.”
This comes after a gunfight on Beale Street that left one person is dead and two people injured.
Davis talked about efforts to improve lighting downtown and told us she believes more officers are needed as well.
“In our conversations recently it’s my belief that the downtown space needs more officers, and of course as we’re hiring and trying to put more officers on, we plan to put more officers in that space. But we’re going to do it before our next class graduates because we just know that we need more visibility,” Davis said.
After nearly a year on the job, Councilman Chase Carlisle said he hopes to hear from the chief again in a few weeks for suggestions as to how she believes the city can improve.
“You’ve been here a year. We’re ready for you to tell us ‘what do you think?’ And what can we do better,” Carlisle said.
Police also said in their presentation that thefts involving automobiles and guns are both up.