I came across this article on wmctv.com this morning & thought it would be worth sharing here. Today's busy schedules can make it tough to stay up to date on local news.

‘We found synergy’: MPD chief gives update on federal task force Chief CJ Davis says federal partnership has provided significant resources for lowering violent crime

By Kelli Cook Published: Feb. 23, 2026 at 6:09 PM CST

Crime numbers Data from the Memphis Shelby Crime Commission shows that before the task force arrived, there was a 21.5% drop in major violent crime from January through September 2025.

When additional resources arrived, the major violent crime rate dropped even further to 27.6% compared to 2024.

“It’s almost like having a resource multiplier. I’m not going to use the word ‘force.’ I’m going to say a resource multiplier,” Davis said. “More analysts, more investigators, more boots on the ground, when it comes to infiltrating drug-infested communities and other types of violent communities, gang violence and all of the above... So we appreciate the support. We’ve been asking for that level of support for a very long time.”

Case clearance rate The City of Memphis reports the MPD case clearance rate rose from 14.78% in 2024 to 19.12% in 2025. Davis said she wants to continue improving that number.

Davis said the size of Memphis — approximately 330 square miles, larger than Atlanta or Detroit — makes full coverage difficult. With additional resources deployed across the city, she said officers have been able to refocus their efforts.

Staffing and civilian hiring Davis said the department continues to recruit sworn officers but is also expanding its civilian workforce. An Impact Team analysis of more than 2,700 people on the police services payroll shows the department has hired outside traditional police recruits, including:

--10 neighborhood watch coordinators --Three victim specialists to walk victims through the court process --29 community impact officers, primarily retired officers --Eight crime analysts, jobs once exclusively held by police officers

“But you’ve got a lot of smart, techie, young people that are coming out of college, understand statistics, and would love to work in this environment,” Davis said. “And so, we’ve civilianized some of our crime analysts.”

Davis said the changes reflect a broader shift in how the department approaches public safety.

“So, it’s almost like we’re recalibrating our thinking about our city,” Davis said. “If you’ve been thinking one way for a long time about what is true in Memphis, it’s hard to shift gears and really believe that yeah, things are changing and they’re changing for the better.”

The Memphis Safe Task Force continues to draw opposition.

The nonprofit MICAH has called the task force’s immigration enforcement “inhumane.” Davis declined to answer questions on that topic.