Austin Justice
@AustinJustice
Memphis was one of the most dangerous cities in America. It’s now becoming a model for how to fight crime when you have a terrible DA.
From the peak:
- Murders down 47%
- Carjackings down 48%
- Robberies down 51%.
- Vehicle theft down 80%.
What changed:
1. State troopers took over interstate patrol, freeing up local officers.
2. Police launched focused initiatives targeting fugitives, violent repeat offenders, and gang members.
3. National Guard, federal agents, and US Marshals came in and made 9,000+ arrests, including 400+ gang members. Plus 629 illegal firearms seized, 150 missing children located.
4. Technology filled the gaps. Police deployed license plate readers citywide, expanded drone use, and opened a downtown command center. A cancer center went from a crime attempt every other week to none.
Overall crime is now down more than 43% compared to the same period last year
Memphis has a long way to go and remains a dangerous city. Its DA is still dismissing 3 out of every 4 felony cases. In fact, the state legislature just passed a bill to audit and potentially remove him.
But the city is showing that a rogue DA doesn't have to be a death sentence for public safety. Flood the streets with law enforcement, target repeat offenders, and make arrests faster than he can dismiss them.
https://x.com/AustinJustice/status/2046595635432820920
