MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis police are being extra careful after the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation issued an alert last week — although neither TBI nor Memphis Police will specify what it said.
Memphis Police Association President Mike Williams hasn’t seen the alert but has been hearing scary things from officers. According to what he’s heard, a particular gang may be targeting officers.
“There is something circulating out there,” he says. “We have made our officers aware that that is circulating out there so that they can definitely deal with situations accordingly.”
The issue could be related to a homicide near the airport last week. Two people were found dead in a car at Dwight and Imogene.
“I have heard rumors (about the connection) to that effect but nothing has been confirmed,” Williams says.
Williams says situations like this, unfortunately, come up all the time.
“It’s nothing unusual to us,” he says, “There is a lot of gang activity in this city on a daily basis.”
It’s tough on officers.
“They’re constantly getting in physical altercations with gang members and chases with gang members every day,” Williams says.
And while this latest issue isn’t anything new, the association always wants officers to be aware of any potential problems.
“This is a brotherhood,” Williams says, “We definitely want to make sure we dot our I’s and cross our T’s. If something comes across my desk that alerts me to it I definitely want to let the officers know what’s happening.”