Memphis mayor partners with African American Mayors Association to fight crime across nation

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Memphis Mayor Paul Young along with the partnership of the African American Mayors Association (AAMA) is launching a Black Mayors’ Coalition on Crime (BMCC).

In less than 24 hours, more than a dozen mayors from around the country will meet in Memphis to have open conversations about crime and solutions that have worked in their cities.

“We thought it was important for us to host this dialogue and [really] find some solutions,” said Memphis Mayor Paul Young.

The Black Mayors’ Coalition on Crime is a new collaboration with Mayor Paul Young in partnership with the African American Mayors Association.

Action News 5 caught up with the mayor during a stop on his One Memphis Tour in Frayser Tuesday night.

“Hear what’s working in respective communities,” said Mayor Young. “It’ll be a closed-door dialogue where we’re just exchanging ideas on how we can make our respective cities better.”

The city says the mayors will hear about crime trends and perspectives, including presentations on “successful crime fighting initiatives” from Charlotte and Jackson.

Charlotte touts an auto theft recovery task force, “Operation SCARLET”.

Last year police there found 180 stolen luxury vehicles valuing more than $11 million, guns and drugs.

However, Charlotte police reported a 120% increase in auto thefts, in 2023.

Jackson’s “Operation Good”, a community organization looking to reduce recidivism and solutions to violence... reports seeing a “major de-escalation” where they serve.

Jackson, reported an almost 15% drop in homicides in 2023...and led the country in rates of killings per capita.

The summit of national leaders will also include some from the Mid-South including Bolivar, Brownsville, and Earle, Arkansas.

“The bigger picture is, we have to get our community members and citizens in our communities to get on board with what we’re trying to do as mayors,” said Earle Mayor Jaylen Smith.

Earle Mayor Jaylen Smith, the youngest African-American mayor in U.S. history, will take part in this two-day event.

He’s hoping for an open discussion and something to bring back to his residents.

“It takes all of us working together,” said Mayor Smith. “The mayors and leaders don’t save the community. The community saves the community.”

These meetings are not open to the public or the media.

We are expecting to be briefed about how the discussions went on Thursday.

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