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Presentation to American Association of Service Providers
August 25, 2015, Nashville, TN
TN Commissioner of Public Safety and Homeland Security Bill Gibbons
Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich
Commissioner Gibbons
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OSC part of Memphis Fast Forward
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Data-driven, evidence-based initiatives
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Engages experts, practitioners, government, citizenry in planning and implementation
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Advocates for local, state, and policy changes to advance plan implementation and public/private sector investment
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50 person board of directors serving on Memphis Shelby Crime
Commission, the quarterback agency: 25 public sector/25 private sector
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First five year initiative in effect from 2007-2011
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Second five year initiative now in effect, 2012-2016
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Chaired by Bill Gibbons from 2009 until June 1, 2015
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Now chaired by Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich
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2007-2011 Highlighted Accomplishments
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Reduction in major violent crime in Memphis/Shelby County of 22.8%
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Reduction in major property crime of 25.5%
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Established monthly, publicly released countywide crime statistics
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Sustained robust public/private collaborative
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Expanded data-driven policing model still in use, i.e., “Blue Crush”
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Expanded Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationally recognized multi-agency law enforcement team focused on gun-related violence
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Established model for statewide “Public Safety Action Plan”
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District Attorney General Weirich
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Five Goals
• Reduce violence in the home
• Reduce gang and drug crime
• Reduce blight, problem properties, and crimes in apartment complexes
• Reduce adult repeat offenses
• Reduce youth violence.
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26 strategies, 62 action items, more than 100 public and private agencies
Supported by:
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Accountable partners responsible for meeting long and short term objectives
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Reporting on a quarterly basis to the Memphis
Shelby Crime Commission.
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OSC Model Replication
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Crime prevention plan supports countywide plan for economic prosperity
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Strong private and public partnerships
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Multi-level governmental participation e.g. city, county, state, and federal
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Evolving strategic plan—willingness to change course
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Defined metrics
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Partner accountability
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Plan implementation of evidenced-based models where feasible.
Some data points:
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For 2014, aggressive prosecution of felons in possession of firearms has helped drive down total crimes involving firearms 25.5% since 2006.
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The state’s nuisance laws were amended creating geographic “safety zones” to rid communities of gang crime. The Shelby County District Attorney has issued 3 “gang injunctions” in 2014 and 2015.
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Apartment communities engaged in the Safeways program reflected an average 25% drop in tracked offenses (including, for example, crimes such as murder, aggravated and simple assault, rape, robbery, and burglary) from 2013 to 2014.
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Some data points:
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Expanded Community Outreach Policing (COP) in high-crime neighborhoods resulted in high satisfaction with the police department in these areas.
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Participating Shelby County schools saw a reduction in gang-related expulsions and suspensions of 78% in 2013-14 compared to the previous school year through implementation of G.R.A.S.S.Y. (Gang Reduction Assistance to Saving Society’s Youth)
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The expanded Truancy Mentoring Program of the District Attorney’s office has helped foster school attendance. The truancy program gave away more than 200 bicycles to students in targeted schools who had perfect attendance for the 2014-15 school year. A communitywide task force continues to explore streamlined processes to better intercept and correct high absentee students.
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What We’ve Accomplished
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Challenges We Face
Grape Street Crips Gang “Beat-In” Woodale
Area of Memphis
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Challenges We Face
Youth Mob Attack at Poplar Plaza Kroger
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DV Data--Shelby County: 1 st Quarter, 2015
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DV Data—Cases Referred to DV Court
Total Cases
Intimate Partner cases
May 2014 May 2015
822
614
Non-Intimate Partner Cases 208
757
571
186
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Commissioner Gibbons
Types of data currently tracked:
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Crimes reported and crime rates for Memphis and Shelby County, including: Major
Violent Crime (Murder, Rape, Aggravated Assault, Robbery), Major Property Crime
(Burglary, Theft, Motor Vehicle Theft), Domestic Violence, and numbers of youth detained for or victims of crime.
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Comparison of Crimes involving Firearms for Memphis and Unincorporated Shelby
County (Project Safe Neighborhoods report)
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Tennessee Offense Crime Trends Report from TIBRS for Major Violent Crime and Major
Property Crime
• Various indicators relating to drug addiction and drug trafficking, including meth lab seizures, Children removed from homes due to substance abuse as a contributing factor, drug overdose deaths, and traffic fatalities due to substance abuse.
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Measure progress on reduction of crime
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Define and refine the approach to OSC action items
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Determine the most strategic deployment of law enforcement personnel
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Define advocacy needs
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