Citizen Safety Coalition’s
Forum on Crime held February 11, 2010
Answers to Citizens' questions.
(Check back to view additional questions and answers.)
How does allowing guns in public establishments like parks and bars reduce crime?
Allowing guns in public establishments does not help to reduce crime within our community.
What is the reason law enforcement do not opt for tasers in lieu of guns which can harm or kill potential offenders?
According to the Memphis Police Department, tasers are only one of several less lethal options available to law enforcement. Pepper Mace, police batons, and launched impact weapons are some of the other less lethal options available, but these force options do not replace the use of deadly force and should not be employed against lethal threats.
Deadly force option must be available to law enforcement. Across the United States, law enforcement officers face risk of death or serious injury in performance of their duties. According to the FBI, 41 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in 2008 and 58,792 were assaulted. Society recognizes these risks and grants law enforcement officers the authority to protect themselves as they perform their duties.
Federal constitutional standards, permit law enforcement officers to use deadly force to apprehend criminal suspects when there is "probable cause to believe that the suspect poses a threat of serious physical harm...to the officer or to others..." and if deadly force "is necessary" to effect the apprehension.
The Shelby County Sheriff's Office has decided against using tasers. Effects of tasers are still unknown. Research shows that some offenders that have received shocks have died as a result. The Sheriff's Offices utilizes other tools to subdue offenders that include batons and pepper spray.
What type of preventive programs are available to help reduce the rate of sexual molestation and rape?
The Memphis Sexual Assault Resource Center (MSARC) offers all victims intense counseling as well as other long term services.
Every victim is encouraged to use the services of MSARC even if they choose not to continue with prosecution.
Additionally, The Child Advocacy Center (CAC) is the national model for child abuse treatment and is a great advocate for preventive programs in Shelby County. The focus of the CAC is prevention, healing of the wounded and prosecution of the perpetrators.
How many crimes have occurred within the past five years in Shelby County involving identify theft and theft of belongings such as purses and wallets?
What are your plans or laws in place to address gun distributors who are a major part of the illegal gun network?
Gun distributors are commonly regulated and investigated by federal authorities (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms – ATF). For a business or a gun dealer to sell weapons to the general public, he/she must possess a federal firearms license. The Memphis Police Department is committed to assist any federal agency in the investigation and prosecution of firearm offenses.
The Organized Crime Unit has a team of investigators assigned to the Project Safe Neighborhood Unit (PSN). In 2002 the Memphis Police Department joined forces with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, the ATF, the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to combat gun crimes and individuals that illegally possess firearms. Depending on factors such as the defendant’s criminal history, a decision is made to prosecute in state court or in federal court.
Since 2002, PSN has reviewed over 14,000 cases (arrest tickets) and have indicted over 1,200 federally.
In late December 2009, PSN began talking to juveniles arrested for possessing firearms. The intent of the additional investigation is to determine how the juveniles get the firearms and to bring criminal charges on any and all adults supplying juveniles with firearms.
What can be done about speeding and reckless driving on our interstates throughout Memphis?
In an effort to address the continuing problems with subjects speeding and driving recklessly on the interstate system and to minimize the number of violators, the Memphis Police Department is actively working with the Tennessee Governor’s Highway Safety Office (GHSO) in a coordinated effort to have more aggressive traffic enforcement.
These efforts are put together and based on statistical information learned on where the majority of the traffic accidents are taking place, the locations that citizens forward to the MPD on drivers who speed and drive recklessly, along with the information that our officers know from working in these areas.
Extra duty officers are detailed in these areas, especially on the interstate system around Memphis, under the supervision of a lieutenant and they aggressively address all violators. There is a zero tolerance policy in effect based upon the GHSO traffic details.
These details have proven to be very successful over the years. Some details are designated especially to address drivers who are under the influence of alcohol, such as on some holidays or during major events. Other details will address other traffic violations that occur frequently.
The Memphis Police Department will continue to be aggressive in addressing "speeders" and reckless drivers on the interstate system and monitor the frequent accident locations in an effort to reduce the number of crashes that occur.
Since animal abuse is an indicator of future violent crime by the abuser, why is it not taken more seriously? Also, what is the status of the MPD’s “Animal Abuse Response Team?”
Animal cruelty is taken very seriously by the Memphis Police Department. The Animal Abuse Response Team has made several cases over the past few months. They have followed up on information regarding two dog fighting operations and these cases remain active.
State law is very lenient when it comes to dealing with violators of animal abusers. The MPD can only enforce existing laws, we do not make the laws and therefore, do not determine punishment. This is a very delicate and expansive issue within our community and the MPD is a small portion of addressing animal cruelty.
What is the reason the laws in Tennessee continue to be weaker on crimes committed with guns? Also, why is parole such as viable option for hardened criminals with a high probability of re-offending?
How can citizens obtain a report with a lot of the data and information presented at the Forum on Crime?
For information presented by Memphis Police Director Larry Godwin at the Forum on Crime, follow the below steps:
1. Log onto the Memphis Police Department’s website at www.memphispolice.org
2. Click on the Real Time Crime Center link
3. Click on the Join Now link under CyberWatch on the left side of home page
By joining CyberWatch citizens can be sent an email daily of offenses, arrests, wanted parties, sex offenders that are within a certain radius of their home address
OR
1. Citizens can come to Central Records located 201 Poplar Avenue, Room 10-08 or phone them at (901) 636-3650 with details and criteria of the data in which they seek.
How can citizens receive the email addresses of our state representatives and state senators?
To find out your state representatives and senators we encourage you to visit http://www.capitol.tn.gov/ and type in your street address and city under "Find my Legislator."
How can we request to see more police cars throughout our neighborhoods and enforcing speed limits?
If you have concerns regarding speeding or more police visibility in your neighborhood, contact your precinct and ask for assistance. You can determine which precinct you are located in at this website: https://kiosk.memphispolice.org/wardmap.htm The contact numbers and location for the precincts are:
Tillman Station
(Central Precinct)
426 Tillman
901-636-3000
South Main Station
(Downtown Precinct)
545 S. Main.
901-636-4099
Appling Farms Station
(Northeast Precinct)
6850 Whitten Bend Cove
901-636-4400
Union Station
(West Precinct)
1925 Union
901-636-4600
Mt. Moriah Station
(East Precinct)
2602 Mt. Moriah
901-636-4199
Old Allen Station
(North Precinct)
3633 Allen Rd.
901-636-4399
Raines Station
(South Precinct)
791 E. Raines
901-636-4589
Airways Station
(Southeast Precinct)
2245 Truitt
901-636-4889
Ridgeway Station
3840 Ridgeway Road
636-4531