Memphis Police Chief Says Early 2026 Crime Fell After Sharp Citywide Declines Recorded In 2025

Early 2026 crime trend follows large year-end reductions reported by Memphis police

Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis said crime decreased in the first months of 2026, extending a downward pattern that city officials say accelerated during 2025. The early-year update comes after Memphis police reported broad declines across both violent and property crime categories last year, including fewer than 200 homicides for the first time since 2019.

Year-end statistics released by the Memphis Police Department for 2025 showed sizeable reductions in major categories. Police reported a 27% decrease in overall Part I crimes, a 26% decrease in murders, a 22% decrease in aggravated assaults, a 31% decrease in robberies, and a 48% decrease in carjackings. Police also reported an approximately 50% reduction in interstate shootings, citing expanded enforcement activity and coordination focused on highway violence.

What officials say changed in 2025, and what they say is continuing

City leaders have attributed the 2025 declines to a combination of targeted enforcement and operational changes. Police described initiatives that focus on repeat violent offenders, along with enforcement operations aimed at illegal firearms, violent offenders, stolen vehicles, and drug activity. The department has also highlighted expanded use of technology, including increased reliance on drones for situational awareness and a larger network of cameras supported through community participation programs.

In a Feb. 10, 2026 address, Mayor Paul Young said Memphis reached its lowest serious-crime levels in 25 years and reiterated a city goal centered on reducing serious crime over a four-year period. The mayor framed the reductions as citywide, emphasizing impacts in neighborhoods that historically have carried a disproportionate burden of violence.

How to interpret “crime down” in early 2026

Early-year comparisons can be affected by short-term fluctuations, seasonal patterns, and how incidents are recorded and timed. Public-safety data systems can also reflect differences between the date an incident occurs and the date it is reported, which can shift counts across calendar years, particularly around late December and early January.

Even with those limitations, the chief’s early-2026 assessment aligns with the direction of the most recent annual totals reported by police and the city’s public-facing crime dashboards, which showed year-over-year decreases across multiple categories during 2025.

Key figures cited in recent official releases

• Overall Part I crime reported down 27% in 2025.
• Murders reported down 26% in 2025, with fewer than 200 homicides for the first time since 2019.
• Carjackings reported down 48% and robberies down 31% in 2025.
• Interstate shootings reported reduced by about half in 2025.

Officials say the immediate challenge for 2026 is sustaining the reductions while maintaining enforcement capacity and expanding prevention strategies that address long-term drivers of violence.

Police and city officials have indicated that continued progress in 2026 will depend on maintaining targeted strategies, coordinating across agencies, and preserving the operational resources that supported the 2025 declines.