Memphis residents split over National Guard deployment to fight city's crime

Plenty of Memphis Tennessee residents are split over President Donald Trump s approval to deploy the National Guard to fight crime in the city On Monday President Trump signed a memorandum establishing the Memphis Safe Task Force to address crime in Memphis The task force includes the National Guard the FBI the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives the Drug Enforcement Administration Homeland Measure Investigations and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Tennessee Gov Bill Lee revealed the task force will accelerate the positive momentum of Operation Viper an ongoing FBI mission that Lee says has led to the arrest of hundreds of violent criminals since July We ve made important investments to address crime throughout my seven years in office and thanks to President Trump s leadership the Memphis Safe Task Force will ensure we have every supply at our disposal to create essential change Lee stated TRUMP ORDERS NATIONAL GUARD FBI TO MEMPHIS IN NEW CRIME CRACKDOWNLee also authorized more than Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers to help local law enforcement in Shelby County Memphis has the highest crime rate in the United States and specific residents mentioned federal intervention could be the only way to bring it down expeditiously I just feel like their presence may deter selected It's not going to do a whole lot I don't think but I mean anything will help Angela Dowdy a Memphis resident commented ARCHITECT OF LA ICE RAIDS ARRIVES IN CHICAGO AS FOCUS SHIFTS TO WINDY CITYMemphis Mayor Paul Young explained a National Guard deployment isn t necessary citing a downward trend in crime in the past year I want to be clear I did not ask for the National Guard and I don t think it is the way to drive down crime Young posted to X Memphis informed a drop in Part crimes from to The FBI defines Part crimes as criminal homicide rape robbery aggravated assault burglary larceny motor car theft arson and human trafficking Dr George Campbell a Memphis resident commented he hopes local leaders could use this as an opportunity to take advice from the feds W e need to have all the individuals in office really concerned about making a difference in the city and not just put in their pockets or from a political sense just politics Campbell noted MEMPHIS REP TORCHES TRUMP'S NATIONAL GUARD PLAN SAYS DC ISN'T SAFER AFTER LAST CRACKDOWNMemphis business owner Joe Morrow reported crime is bad for business With large companies like Google and xAI building input centers in the area Morrow mentioned something still must be done to solve the city s crime However Morrow questions whether a National Guard deployment is the answer to solving the city s lingering crime We've got law enforcement here already We've got state troopers that they've sent in We have the FBI here Different things The National Guard is just another form of law enforcement Morrow noted Deployment comes with orders What are the orders that they have when they're coming here Am I going to be looked at as a human being Or am I something on the list of deployment that is a target or a threat Which I'm not Michael Kuntzman a Memphis bar manager was also concerned that a National Guard presence would hurt the city s nightlife that his bar relies on I think having a show of force like that will definitely affect nightlife where people won't be out if there are bright lights and National Guard in camo everywhere Kuntzman reported I know I'll be at the house if that's the matter CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPTrump several weeks ago threatened to send the National Guard to Chicago but was met with strong resistance from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov JB Pritzker Trump insisted on Tuesday that Chicago is the National Guard s next stop