Memphis and crime are inextricably linked. This issue is layered with complex historical, cultural, social, sociological, economic, psychological, and practical factors. However, fundamentally, it comes down to human character and personal qualities.
Theory and practice in law enforcement often diverge, as do the ideal and the reality of a desirable law enforcement officer. The situation in Memphis and its surrounding areas differs significantly from the rest of Tennessee, as well as other regions across the United States. In a high-crime region like this, the recruitment rate of police officers from the local population should be kept to a minimum—or at least reduced to under 50% for the time being. Conversely, recruitment from low-crime regions across the United States should be maximized as much as possible.
The nature of crime in Memphis is not uniform. Street criminals commit violent crimes (homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault), theft, robbery, carjacking, and various property crimes. Street crimes, however, represent only a portion of the overall picture. White-collar or non-street crimes also exist, though they do not draw as much public attention as street crimes. While the offenses or criminal potential of street suspects are easily visible, the crimes or potential wrongdoing of those with power and capital are less discernible to the public eye. Nevertheless, this does not mean such crimes or issues do not exist.
Below is a list of U.S. cities with high and low crime rates. These cities were identified through an AI query targeting cities above a certain population size. Depending on the input criteria, data may vary or undergo slight adjustments. The listed cities share both commonalities and differences, and they are presented here as a limited set of examples strictly for reference.
Cities with high crime rates in the U.S.: Memphis, TN; Detroit, MI; Baltimore, MD; Milwaukee, WI; Kansas City, MO; Albuquerque, NM; St. Louis, MO; Birmingham, AL; Oakland, CA; Cleveland, OH; Houston, TX; and Little Rock, AR.
Cities with low crime rates in the U.S.: San Jose, CA; Irvine, CA; Virginia Beach, VA; Naperville, IL; Sugar Land, TX; El Paso, TX; Mesa, AZ; Newton/Boston area, MA; San Diego, CA; Henderson, NV; Honolulu, HI; and Austin, TX.
The qualifications and structural shortcomings of law enforcement personnel in Memphis and Shelby County cannot go unmentioned. Within local law enforcement agencies, there are many individuals who possess poor baseline qualifications from the outset and are unfit for law enforcement work. Simply receiving education and training during the police recruitment process is by no means sufficient. Beyond technical skill sets and physical fitness requirements, the more fundamental issues lie in character, morality, integrity, mindset, and intellectual capacity—qualities essential to a human being prior to becoming a police officer. Merely placing someone in a police uniform does not instantly grant them the human character required to exercise public authority.
The professional and personal standards of officers in the Memphis Police Department and Shelby County law enforcement agencies are among the lowest in the nation. In a region with such high crime rates, local officer recruitment should be reduced to a minimal level, or at least kept under 50% for the time being, with further reductions implemented over the medium to long term. Conversely, recruitment from low-crime regions outside the area should be maximized as much as possible, perhaps through pilot programs.
It is necessary to gain insight into the historical, cultural, and ideological traits of the so-called “Mississippi Delta” region—a region historically characterized by extreme harshness. The culture of the Mississippi Delta has long been marred by severity, coldness, violence, theft, robbery, extortion, fraud, deception, manipulation, falsification of records, embezzlement, breach of trust, vulgarity, meanness, extreme egoism, and interference with the rights of others. There are numerous other crimes and negative aspects not listed here, all of which are the result of historically, culturally, and psychologically accumulated factors over time.
This is not to deny that good virtues exist among the law-abiding citizens of this region. It would be wrong to disparage all local residents, as many possess commendable character. This editorial simply addresses the negative dimensions.
However, one of the defining historical and cultural keywords of the “Mississippi Delta” is an extreme and ruthless disregard for the rights and survival of others. The homicide rate in Memphis stands as a clear testament to this. Victims who lose their lives to violent crime are not only stripped of their right to life, but are also denied any opportunity to speak for themselves.
Based on the issues outlined above, we offer one key proposal: law enforcement agencies should actively import or recruit officers from low-crime cities. The proportion of officers recruited from Memphis or its vicinity should be capped at a minimum—or kept below half of the total hiring quota. Of course, this ratio can be flexibly adjusted in the short or long term depending on staffing needs.
Simply hiring individuals who are “from out of town” is not enough. They must specifically be recruited “from low-crime cities in the United States.”
Just as one’s own right to survival and exercise of rights is paramount, so too is the survival and exercise of rights for others in the community.
—The Editorial Board, The Memphis Times.
www.memphistimes.org
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The American Newspaper
www.americannewspaper.org
Published: Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at 11:12 A.M.
[Editorial Note]
This article was written and produced by the editor. It was NOT written and produced by any AIs. Written/authored entirely by the editor.
[Source/Notes]
The final version was reviewed for structure, sourcing, clarity, and analytical coherence by the editor. This article was produced with AI-assisted(Gemini) translation, but it was NOT any AI’s editorial direction. Images were made/produced using ChatGPT. The model used is GPT-5.6 Thinking.
