The Trump administration’s deployment of federal law enforcement officers to one of Tennessee’s bluest cities has been welcomed as a much-needed reprieve by local police struggling with increased staffing shortages and astronomical crime rates.
Last month, President Donald Trump signed a memorandum mobilizing federal law enforcement agents to Memphis in an effort to combat crime rates and restore safety to the community. The task force includes federal agencies such as the FBI, ATF and Homeland Security Investigations joining the Tennessee National Guard, and is modeled after the deployment of officers in Washington, D.C.
“The city of Memphis, Tennessee, is suffering from tremendous levels of violent crime that have overwhelmed its local government’s ability to respond effectively,” the president wrote.
A Memphis Police Department officer, right, patrols with members of the National Guard, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The memorandum is supported by Republican Gov. Bill Lee, who maintains command of the Guard troops deployed to the city, and comes amid the FBI releasing new 2024 data revealing Memphis had the highest violent crime rate in the country.
Trump pointed to data from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation that revealed Memphis saw an increase in violent crimes reported in 2024 – marking a startling shift from the national trend suggesting crime numbers are down throughout the country.
Federal law enforcement officers stand at the intersection of Beale Street and North Second Street, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
The city also saw about 1,250 violent crime incidents per 50,000 people last year, more than doubling Nashville’s average and quadrupling the state average, according to WSMV.
In 2025, Memphis has recorded 161 homicides, with Trump revealing the city’s homicide rate is higher than Chicago, Detroit, Washington, D.C., and other high-crime cities throughout the country.
The administration also looked at data showing Memphis’ murder rates are approximately four times higher than Mexico City and 27 times higher than Havana, suggesting the city is more dangerous than areas abroad with elevated crime rates.
Members of the 117th Military Police Battalion of the National Guard and a Memphis Police Department officer conduct a community safety patrol at Tom Lee Park, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
However, the Memphis Police Department has disputed the narrative that the city is plagued by crime.
“Murder is at a six-year low, aggravated assault at a five-year low and sexual assault at a 20-year low,” the MPD said in a press release.
The MPD did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
While city data shows the murder rate is down 21% since 2024, the numbers appear to encompass statistics from each calendar year – with 2025’s full breakdown hinging on the completion of the year.
Scottie DeLashmit, president of the Tennessee State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police, insists the move protects officers throughout the city at a time when the local police department is dealing with staffing shortages and low morale due to what he believes is relaxed bail policies.
“Our president has decided that he’s coming to Memphis to try to bring law and order to [the city],” DeLashmit told Fox News Digital. “This is what we’re told, which I think is a great idea. However, if we don’t get a better prosecutor in Memphis, all we’re doing is putting extra officers in danger.”
A Homeland Security vehicle is seen at the intersection of Beale Street and B.B. King Boulevard, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
“If we don’t prosecute the criminals once they are arrested, we just say, ‘OK, here’s a signature bond,’ and you’re out and gone. What good is that officer’s duties? That criminal is back on the street before the officer gets through doing the paperwork.”
The Trump administration also pointed to Shelby County’s newly-implemented bail policies in the presidential memorandum.
“In 2022, Shelby County overhauled its bail system at the behest of its Soros-funded District Attorney, instituting secured cash bail ‘only as a last resort’ and relying on a system that often results in no bail,” the memo reads.
The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
A Memphis Police Department officer, right, patrols with members of the National Guard, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
DeLashmit also discussed the crisis surrounding officer staffing and the work environment for police, adding that the Shelby County District Attorney’s policies surrounding releasing arrestees and the city’s “no-pursuit” policy are “pretty disheartening” for those patrolling the streets.
“In Memphis, people will run for this for any reason just because they know Memphis officers aren’t going to chase them, because they have a no-pursuit policy,” DeLashmit told Fox News Digital. “Not that you should pursue simple traffic [violations]. But if you do a heinous crime, such as kidnapping, rape or robbery, you should be able to chase for that.”
DeLashmit welcomes the Trump administration’s pursuit of restoring safety in Memphis by deploying federal law enforcement officers, while highlighting the real-world obstacles local police are currently facing.
“The officers are working a tremendous amount of overtime, which means they are tired [and] their skills are not going to be 100%,” DeLashmit said, adding that the response time for backup officers is also lengthened and therefore “not a safe environment” for the city’s citizens.
The first troops began arriving in Memphis on Sept. 29, and have since made hundreds of arrests and issued more than 2,800 traffic citations, federal officials told The Associated Press.
As the city continues to collaborate with the Trump administration, DeLashmit hopes the move will not only bring more officers back to work, but will reinforce a sense of security throughout Memphis that he believes has long been lost.
“When I was growing up, [Memphis] was a safer city,” he said. “It was polite. You could walk anywhere, and hopefully we’ll get back to that. I know times have changed and I’m not naïve. I know it won’t be the way it was 30 years ago, but maybe we can go back to where it’s at least safe to walk down the street without fear of being shot.”
