A decision by Republican state lawmakers to prevent discussion on a resolution honoring Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s deployment of National Guard troops to Memphis has drawn outrage from Democratic lawmakers.
Conservatives brushed off accusations of cowardice to pass House Resolution 1094 with a 73-18 vote Thursday, March 19.
“We congratulate Governor Bill Lee on responding promptly to a grave emergency by deploying the National Guard to Memphis in a successful effort to dramatically lower the crime rate in the city,” the resolution read.
Collierville Rep. Cameron Sexton’s resolution was passed just before a scheduled visit to Memphis by President Donald Trump. The second-term Republican will be in town to tout results of Operation Safe Memphis. Reps. William Lamberth and Jason Zachary were the other sponsors.
One member of the severely outnumbered Democratic delegation called the maneuver “tasteless.”
“They called (for an immediate vote) because they knew there were people who were against the resolution. I just think it’s one of those things they didn’t want to talk about,” Rep. Jesse Chism told the Daily Memphian.
The GOP currently holds a 75-24 majority in the House.
Lee requested the deployment of hundreds of federal law enforcement officers to take part in the state-federal task force in late September. However, it was the inclusion of National Guard personnel in the city that stirred the most controversy.
Since their arrival on Oct. 10, the unarmed part-time troops have been deployed in small groups in high-crime neighborhoods and high-traffic areas throughout Memphis.
“The deployment of the National Guard is credited with alleviating pressure on the understaffed Memphis Police Department by acting as additional eyes and ears for law enforcement,” the statement elaborated.
The bulk of crime fighting has been carried out by the Memphis Police Department, which has coordinated with a range of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.
About 5,000 arrests have been made, and 1,900 illegal firearms have been seized as a result of the ongoing operation.
Memphis is also currently experiencing a 25-year low in its crime rate. The downturn began long before the task force was formed. Since 2024, overall crime has dropped more than 40%. The reductions have occurred across the board, with significant decreases in both violent crimes and property crimes.
However, the decline is not unique to Memphis. Crime has fallen significantly nationwide after spiking in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The decrease began as schools and workplaces reopened.
Memphis’ crime rate still hovers about 10% above the national average.
