MEMPHIS, Tenn. (localmemphis.com) – Youknow, four years ago, when a lot of Memphis City Council members and Mayor JimStrickland were first elected, crime was the big issue. Four years later,crime is still the big issue.
Everybodyin City Hall knows it. Nothing has changed when it comes to people concernedabout crime in Memphis.
CouncilmanWorth Morgan will tell you.
“Ithink crime and public safety is still everyone’s number one issue,” hesays.
Morgansays there is no doubt about it. And yes, he was happy to hear statistics thatsaid the overall crime rate is down by more than 6%. That’s according to thelatest numbers from Memphis Police.
PoliceDirector Mike Rallings says, “Perception is important, and that’s why wework here every day to continue to reduce crime. But as a law enforcementprofessional, I have to look at the data.”
Thatdata also says the Memphis murder rate is almost 25% higher than last year.
Numbers.Graphs. In color.
TheCity Council asks for crime updates from the Memphis Police, and DirectorRallings gives them crime updates.
“We’remeasured every day on what we do,” Director Rallings says. “Wemeasure everything. We measure response time. We measure 911 answer time. Wemeasure our daily crime. We have to pay attention to the numbers, but we knowwe have to do a better job.”
Thesurveys continue to rank Memphis as one of the most dangerous cities in thecountry.
Moreofficers are being hired, Director Rallings says. Maybe there will be 2,100officers on board by this fall.
“Surveysare something that, you know, are great for media,” he says. “It’sgreat talking points. I don’t need a survey to say we have a challenge, and weneed to do something about it.”