Tennessee National Guard expected to begin patrols in Memphis – UPI.com

Oct. 10 (UPI) — The Tennessee National Guard will begin patrolling Friday in Memphis, the city announced.

While President Donald Trump fights in the courts to allow the National Guard in Chicago and Portland, Ore., Tennessee’s Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, authorized it.

The city announced on its website that patrols would begin Friday and what residents could expect. It said National Guard members will wear their uniforms and will not be wearing masks, making arrests or issuing warrants. It said they “will provide additional eyes and ears” to police officers and will be deputized by the U.S. Marshals Service.

Crime in Memphis has declined, but it still has one of the highest crime rates in the country.

Mayor Paul Young posted on X on Sept. 22 that he spoke with leaders in Washington, D.C, which has had the National Guard on patrol for months, to learn from their experience. He said the city focused on law enforcement, beautification and homelessness services.

“For Memphis, I choose this as an opportunity,” Young said in the post. “Crime is already trending down, and with added support we can continue on that momentum. We can also accelerate blight cleanup and expand services for people experiencing homelessness, strengthening quality of life across our city.”

There will be 150 Guard members who will be part of a task force that includes 13 federal agencies, state agencies and the Memphis police department.

In the executive order creating the task force to “restore law and order” to the city, the White House said that in 2024, Memphis had the highest rate of violent crime per capita in the United States. The 2025 data from the FBI isn’t yet available.

When Trump first announced it on Sept. 12, he said that Young supported the plan.

“And the mayor is happy. He’s a Democrat mayor. The mayor is happy. And the governor, Tennessee, the governor is happy,” Trump said.

Young said in a statement at the time that he was “committed to working to ensure any efforts strengthen our community and build on our progress.”