By The White House | Created at 2026-09-15 15:50:18 | Updated at 2026-09-26 04:28:16
1 week ago
One year ago, President Donald J. Trump created the Memphis Safe Task Force and ordered a full-scale federal surge into one of America’s most violent cities. President Trump directed coordination of more than 30 federal, state, and local agencies in making arrests, clearing warrants, seizing illegal firearms, and saturating neighborhoods that Democrats had long surrendered to gangs and chaos.
One year later, the results are undeniable — and the city is being reclaimed from the violent crime and chaos that once plagued its residents.
The numbers:
- Overall crime in Memphis is down nearly 36% from last year.
- Murders are down 36%.
- Sexual assaults are down 28%.
- Motor vehicle thefts are down 57%.
- Robberies are down 42%.
- Shoplifting is down 44%.
- Aggravated assaults are down 26%.
- The city is on pace for a 25-year low in overall crime.
- Across Shelby County, violent crime is down more than 30% and major property crime is down more than 40%.
Task Force results as of September 15, 2026:
- 12,747 arrests, including:
- 131 arrests for homicide.
- 1,363 arrests for narcotics.
- 1,276 arrests for firearms violations.
- 125 arrests for sex offenses.
- 1,408 arrests of known gang members.
- 2,160 illegal firearms taken off city streets.
- 189 missing children recovered.
This follows an already historic drop in 2025 versus 2024, when overall crime fell 28% — including a 26% drop in murders and 31% drop in robberies. In 2025, Memphis recorded fewer than 200 murders for the first time since 2019.
In 2024, Memphis posted the highest violent crime rate and highest property crime rate in America. Its murder rate topped Chicago, Baltimore, Detroit, and Washington, D.C., while its overall crime rate ran 344% higher than the national average.
That era is over. President Trump rejected the excuses, restored law and order, and once again proved that decline is a choice.
