Gun crimes decrease in Memphis, unincorporated parts of Shelby Co.

Reported gun crimes were down in Memphis and unincorporated parts of Shelby County in the first six months of the year compared to 2017, according to statistics.

There were 2,405 reported gun crimes from January through the end of June 2018, compared to 2,840 during the same time period in 2017 — a 15.3 percent drop, based on figures from Project Safe Neighborhoods.

Reducing gun crime has been a focus of the current Operation: Safe Community five-year crime plan, developed by the Memphis Shelby County Crime Commission.

Crime Commission president Bill Gibbons noted five objectives in the plan aimed at minimizing gun crimes:

❚ Vigorous enforcement of tough federal gun laws as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods.

❚ Enactment of tougher state sentences for felons in possession of firearms.

❚ With the goal of changing behavior, communicating the consequences of committing gun crimes.

❚ Enhancing the staff of the MultiAgency Gang Unit.

❚ Ramped up data-driven deployment of law enforcement resources.

U.S. Attorney Mike Dunavant has prioritized prosecution of gun crimes in the federal system.

“PSN (Project Safe Neighborhoods) is a proven violent crime reduction strategy that works,” Dunavant said in a press release.

He said the commitment from multiple parties — including the Memphis Police Department, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and Shelby County District Attorney’s Office — is a big reason why gun crimes have decreased in the Memphis area.

Since October, the U.S. Attorney’s office has increased the number of federal firearms cases by more than 59 percent. The number of defendants charged with firearms offenses has increased more than 73 percent.

“These efforts provide targeted prosecution of the worst-of-the-worst offenders in order to enhance public safety in Memphis by removing guns from the hands of dangerous people, and removing violent offenders from our communities,” Dunavant said.

The decrease in reported gun crimes is consistent with the reduction in reported violent crimes, the details of which were released earlier this month from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

During the first six months of the year, reported violent crimes were down 8.1 percent in the city of Memphis compared to last year. The reduction occurred in all four major categories — murders, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults.

“These sustained decreases in reported gun crimes and all major violent crime categories is encouraging, and shows that our return to proven enforcement policies is working,” Dunavant said.

“Putting the right people in prison upholds the rule of law, deters criminal conduct with a strong message of significant consequences, and makes us all safer.”