At a time when crime remains top of mind for many community members, The Tri-State Defender brought law enforcement and justice system leaders face-to-face with the public during a community forum Tuesday night, Aug. 19, at the Hickory Hill Community Center.
Moderated by civic leader Lori Spicer Robinson, the forum featured a candid conversation among Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis; Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr.; District Attorney Steve Mulroy; and Bill Gibbons, executive director of the Public Safety Institute and president of the Memphis Shelby Crime Commission and a couple dozen community members.
Key takeaway: Crime is down. But that’s not enough. It’s going to take all of us working together to make our community better.
Each panelist acknowledged that while data shows crime is trending down across Shelby County, public trust and perceptions of safety are lagging behind.
“We’re not finished,” Gibbons said. “Crime is down across all major categories compared to 2024, but we know people aren’t necessarily feeling that yet.”
He explained that Memphis, like other major cities, saw a spike in violent crime during the pandemic, particularly aggravated assaults and homicides. At the same time, other crimes like burglaries and robberies dropped, as more people were home. Gibbons said the city is now seeing a gradual return to pre-pandemic norms.
Chief Davis emphasized that statistics don’t tell the full story. “A 22% drop in crime means 8,000 fewer victims. That matters,” she said. “But we’re not in this work to rack up arrests. We’re here to change lives and keep people safe.”
She described MPD’s efforts to partner with nonprofits and community organizations to reach young people before they become involved in crime. Programs, such as D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) that targets children ages 10 to 12, aim to intervene early. But Davis acknowledged the environment is challenging, especially with permit-less carry laws and easy access to high-powered weapons.
“We’ve had to work with local, state and federal partners to address gang-related crime and gun violence,” she said. “But it’s not just about enforcement. It’s about rehabilitation.”
District Attorney Mulroy echoed that sentiment, stressing the need to balance public safety with fairness and reform. He introduced the office’s “V11” initiative, which focuses on 11 categories of violent crimes and his office’s commitment to giving those cases more priority to move them through the court system faster. He also outlined a vision for more meaningful offender supervision, tailored mental health and educational services, as well as increased accountability for repeat offenders.
“Justice delayed is justice denied,” Mulroy said. “We’re trying to break the cycle.”
He said this is done through prevention, intervention and enforcement.
Sheriff Bonner took the opportunity to advocate for a long-overdue overhaul of the county jail system. With nearly 2,800 men, 335 women and more than 80 juveniles in custody, Bonner said the outdated facilities are costing taxpayers millions while failing to meet basic needs — most importantly, mental health needs.
“These buildings were built more than 40 years ago. Wi-Fi didn’t even exist,” Bonner said. “It’s not the best place for rehabilitation, but we’re doing everything we can to help people reenter society stronger than when they came in.”
Bonner pointed to educational and trauma-recovery programs such as Final Escape and Inside Circle as crucial steps toward rehabilitation. “If we don’t teach these young people how to read, how to work, how to heal, what are we releasing them to?” he asked.
During the Q&A portion, residents raised concerns about communication gaps, wrongful arrests and neglected neighborhoods.
Daron Pleasure shared that he was recently arrested during a routine traffic stop for a warrant that had been dismissed five months earlier. Both Davis and Mulroy acknowledged the system failure, with Mulroy apologizing publicly. “We don’t want to reopen any case that’s already been dismissed,” he said. “We have enough to do. We have to do a better job fixing these issues.”
Attendee Donald Merriweather described the pain of losing his grandson to violence at Cane Creek Apartments and the sense of abandonment and, ultimately, waning trust he felt after the detective on the case was promoted and communication stopped.
Davis responded by highlighting a new grant-funded victim support unit that will employ five full-time staff and an attorney focused on nuisance properties. “We’re being more aggressive with absentee landlords. If they don’t install cameras or hire security, we will push for ownership changes,” she said.
Other community members asked about SkyCop cameras, neighborhood watch programs, specialty training and traffic enforcement. Officials pointed residents toward neighborhood precinct meetings and city-funded neighborhood safety grants, which offer up to $2,500 for things such as equipment and signage.
In closing, panelists agreed that forums like this are essential for building trust.
“We want to hear from you more often,” Davis said. “This kind of engagement helps us do better.” One way citizens can engage is through registering for Connect Memphis.
Mulroy added, “We believe in reform, and it only works when the community is involved.”
Gibbons acknowledged that public frustration is valid, especially when system errors lead to mistrust. “When I was DA, I saw how messy data entry can be. That’s not an excuse. Just context,” he said. “But the sheriff is right, we need a new jail, and we need the community to help us finish the job.”
Bonner, who has served more than four decades in law enforcement, likened the panel’s collaboration outside the forum to a marriage: “You don’t always have to agree, but you work together. And with the community’s help, we can get closer to solving these problems.”
The forum was made possible by event sponsors The Tri-State Defender, Xfinity, W&T Contracting Corporation, Dr. Telisa Franklin and the Hickory Hill Community Center.
