On October 10, 2025, the streets of Memphis, Tennessee, took on a new look. For the first time, National Guard troops in Army fatigues and vests labeled “military police” were seen patrolling the city, marking a significant new chapter in the ongoing battle against violent crime. The sight of at least eleven Guard members outside the iconic Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid and the Tennessee State Welcome Center along the Mississippi River drew both curiosity and concern from residents and visitors alike, as reported by Associated Press and confirmed by city authorities.
This deployment is part of the “Memphis Safe Task Force,” a federal initiative announced by President Donald Trump in mid-September. The task force, which kicked off operations the week of September 29, includes agents from more than a dozen federal agencies, such as the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as noted by NPR. The Trump administration has described Memphis as suffering from “tremendous levels of violent crime that have overwhelmed its local government’s ability to respond effectively.”
But the decision to bring in the National Guard wasn’t universally embraced. Memphis Mayor Paul Young, a Democrat, made it clear he never requested the Guard’s presence. “Their stated goal is to end crime, and I think that’s going to be hard to actually end it altogether, and so there’s no specific target,” Young said during an October 8 town hall hosted by the Memphis NAACP, according to Action News 5. He added that officials were not given a timeline for how long the National Guard and federal agencies would remain in Memphis. “They have not given a specific date for how long they will be here.”
Young and other city officials have repeatedly emphasized that the Guard’s focus should be on targeting violent offenders, not intimidating the general public. In his weekly newsletter, Young voiced skepticism about whether the Guard is “the right tool for driving down crime,” but acknowledged that the city could use support in addressing issues like homelessness and urban blight. “We’re already investing heavily in this work: grass cutting, litter pickup, and graffiti removal,” he wrote. “And now, with additional hands and resources, we can scale that work — clearing more vacant lots, removing more trash, and restoring more blocks.”
Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis echoed these sentiments during a city council committee meeting and at the NAACP forum. She explained that the Guard would be used in non-enforcement roles—helping direct traffic and providing a presence in retail corridors. “From a public safety standpoint, we’re trying to utilize Guard personnel in non-enforcement types of capacities, so it does not feel like there is this over-militarization in our communities, in our neighborhoods, and that’s not where we’re directing those resources, either,” Davis said. She was adamant that the troops would not operate checkpoints or engage in similar enforcement activities.
The deployment itself unfolded with some spectacle. Troops were spotted walking down Riverside Drive, escorted by Memphis police officers, and even stopping for a Diet Coke at the Bass Pro Shops. Some left the welcome center in the back of a Memphis Police Department squad car, while others headed toward the Pyramid. As of late morning on October 10, no troops had been seen on Beale Street or outside Graceland, though those locations had been floated as possible patrol sites.
Despite the focus on non-enforcement roles, the broader context of the deployment is rooted in Memphis’s long struggle with violent crime. The city’s population exceeds 600,000, and it has faced high rates of assaults, carjackings, and homicides for years. While officials say homicides and overall crime have declined recently, the numbers remain troubling. In 2023 alone, Memphis recorded over 340 homicides, according to the Memphis Police Department, and the city continues to grapple with the legacy of these challenges.
Federal officials have pointed to the early results of the task force as evidence of its necessity. Since operations began on September 29, authorities have made 562 arrests and seized 144 illegal guns, according to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s social media update. The U.S. Marshals Service also reported hundreds of arrests and more than 2,800 traffic citations, including four homicide charges.
The Guard’s presence in Memphis stands in contrast to developments elsewhere. In Illinois, a federal judge blocked the deployment of National Guard troops to the Chicago area, finding no substantial evidence of a “danger of rebellion” during Trump’s immigration crackdown. The order, issued by U.S. District Judge April Perry, is set to expire October 23, pending a hearing the day before. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a Democrat, welcomed the court’s decision, stating, “There is no place for the National Guard in the streets of American cities like Chicago.”
Similar legal wrangling is underway in Oregon, where a federal appeals court is weighing whether President Trump has the authority to deploy Oregon National Guard troops to Portland, a city that has seen ongoing protests. The president’s moves to activate Guard units in California, Oregon, and Illinois have all faced stiff resistance from state and local officials, raising questions about the limits of presidential power and the role of the military in domestic affairs.
In Tennessee, however, the situation is different. The Guard operates under the command of Republican Governor Bill Lee, who has stated that troops will serve in support roles and will not be responsible for making arrests. Lee has said Guard forces will remain unarmed unless specifically requested by local law enforcement, and that the operation will unfold in phases over the coming months. “I’m tired of crime holding the great city of Memphis back,” Lee declared during a September 15 visit to the White House.
For some Memphians, the arrival of the Guard is a step in the right direction, offering hope that federal and state resources can help turn the tide against violent crime. For others, it’s a worrying sign of creeping militarization and a potential distraction from addressing the root causes of crime. As Loretta Davis, a local resident, put it to the Associated Press: “Totally useless, worthless, not called for because the money that they’re gonna spend on that — if they would give it to us to let us do improvements in our city.”
As the Guard patrols continue, one thing is clear: Memphis remains at the center of a national debate over crime, public safety, and the proper role of federal intervention. With no end date set for the task force’s presence, the city’s next chapter is still being written—on the streets, in the courts, and in the hearts of its people.
