09/12/2025
Statement from Commissioner Charlie Caswell, Jr. (with recent crime data trends)
I have served children and families in Raleigh and Frayser for over 20 years. I have worked with more than five MPD colonels over the years through Austin Peay Station, and we have seen very little lasting change in crime—largely because there has been decades of disinvestment in these communities. Poverty is a major factor, and we need a major reset rather than continuing to believe that incarcerating people is the only answer. We must invest in prevention and intervention through a holistic framework.
We are seeing data now that both confirms the severity of the challenge and suggests there is momentum for change:
Citywide overall crime in Memphis through August 2025 (January-August) is down 23% compared to the same period in 2024, and 37% compared to 2023.
Property crimes are at a 25-year low; violent crimes also trending downward. Murders are at a six-year low: 146 so far in 2025 vs. 181 in 2024 vs. 225 in 2023.
Aggravated assaults are similarly down to a five‐year low.
In Shelby County overall, major violent crime is down about 17.4% in 2025 vs. 2024.
Major property crime down ~21.6%. Overall crime rate down ~15.4%.
Despite these promising shifts, neighborhoods like Raleigh and Frayser remain among those with the highest burdens of violence and crime, especially when compared per capita to other neighborhoods in the city.
These parts of the city have long suffered from under-resourcing: fewer economic investment opportunities, less infrastructure support, and fewer social supports. The drop in citywide crime shows that when we act together—law enforcement, community, city and county leadership—progress is possible.
That is precisely why I believe the use of the federal resources, if done thoughtfully, could help us strategically leverage this moment to reset. They can provide capacity in supporting roles (court security, jail intake, blight removal, etc.) so that our local officers can focus more strategically on hotspots.
My hope is that through this reset, we will see fewer crime incidents; that neighbors will once again feel empowered and safe in their own streets; that children will once again play outside without fear; seniors will sit on their porches without worrying about being robbed or shot. I want Memphis—especially Raleigh, Frayser and surrounding communities —to emerge even healthier and more resilient.
Yours Truly,
Commissioner Charlie Caswell, Jr.
