The Memphis Safe Task Force is a recently established multi-agency federal initiative launched in late September 2025 to combat street and violent crime in Memphis. It coordinates federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and includes participation from various departments such as the Department of Justice, FBI, ATF, DEA, Tennessee National Guard, and others. The Task Force focuses on hypervigilant policing, aggressive prosecutions, complex investigations, and saturation of high-crime areas with law enforcement presence to restore safety and public order in the city. The effort is supported by President Donald Trump's administration and is chaired by an appointee of the Attorney General, working closely with the President's Homeland Security Advisor. The initiative is ongoing as a sustained campaign, not a temporary emergency takeover. It involves deputizing officers, enhancing recruitment and retention of local police, and enforcing quality-of-life laws, with regular reporting back to the federal government on progress. The Memphis Safe Task Force has begun operations as of the last week of September 2025, with over 50 arrests and multiple illegal firearms seized early in the operation. National Guard troops support local police as additional "eyes and ears" but do not conduct arrests. The initiative aims to make Memphis safer by suppressing violent crime and improving overall public safety.
