MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A proposed Memphis Police Department (MPD) program targeting juvenile crime is on hold for now after being met with pushback over the weekend.
On April 14, MPD's North Main Station announced a new "Juvenile Crime Abatement Program" they said would help create a safer Downtown environment for everyone.
MPD said the majority of thefts that happen Downtown come from young people, and the potential program would help boost patrols in an effort to cut down on "unruly behavior."
“We will create an environment primarily for adult patrons after hours, free of unruly juvenile behavior,” said MPD Assistant Chief of Police Don Crowe in the video announcement on YouTube.
This behavior was listed in the MPD video as including "cruising aggressively, playing loud music, hanging out of vehicle windows while in motion, aggressive panhandling, breaking into cars and stealing motor vehicles."
It was stated in the video that the program would "address the mentioned crimes along with curfew violations and other criminal activities committed in the Downtown area."
This could include anything from playing music too loud to blocking roadways, but critics worry that an umbrella of other activities deemed disruptive by MPD could be included in the program. Critics said they worry the program could be the wrong approach with unintended consequences.
“Safety is one of the things everybody seeks,” said Ephraim Urevbu, Urevbu Contemporary Owner.
The artist opened his gallery in the 90s to liven up Downtown Memphis. He said the business typically draws energetic crowds, but worries crime and the fear of crime is limiting development and activity around him.
“I’ve seen the city go from having that potential of growth to one of stall,” said Urevbu.
Still, Urevbu and others are skeptical of the potential pilot program.
As soon as the announcement went live, concerned citizens, organizations and lawmakers began voicing their opinions and reaching out to city government.
Some people worried several children could end up in Juvenile Court or the Department of Children Services custody — just for selling a bottle of water.
“All of the discussions around the police with Tyre Nichols situation — it really felt like it could potentially be some overreach,” said Tennessee Senator Raumesh Akbari, one of the most critical over MPD’s proposed program.
The senator said she reached out to Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland who then said the entire program was something he was not aware of at the time.
"It was not something he supported," senator Akbari said. "When he heard about it, they immediately halted the program."
Many people now are asking for MPD and city leaders to have a better approach and focus on the broader issue of youth poverty.
“Yes we can arrest them — yes we can do what we need to make sure [crime] doesn’t happen, but are we solving the underlying problem?” Urevbu said.
A spokesperson with the Downtown Memphis Commission confirmed to ABC24 the Juvenile Crime Abatement Program has been halted for the time being, but the future has yet to be determined.
MPD, the city of Memphis and the Downtown Memphis Commission (DMC) will discuss the program in more detail April 18 in the afternoon.
In a statement, MPD said they will enforce the current curfew ordinance after seeing an increase in the number of children Downtown after-dark without adult supervision. In some cases they said they are seeing children as young as eight years old without supervision at this time.