U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty joined forces with leaders in Memphis to address the city's soaring crime rate during a public safety meeting on Wednesday. In attendance were Mayor Paul Young, the city's top brass in law enforcement, and community business leaders. According to Action News 5, Hagerty felt "optimistic that progress would be made in Memphis," a city wrestling with persistent safety challenges.

Crime in Memphis has plagued headlines with the city experiencing over 80 homicides in just the first months of 2024. Mayor Paul Young, emphasizing unity, kicked off the crime summit with a focus on building a bipartisan agreement on solvable issues. "Our goal is to really demonstrate a unified front as we work to address public safety in our community," Young told WREG. Senator Hagerty, acknowledging the severity of the challenge, praised the city's commitment to driving change.

The meeting steered clear of contentious issues like gun accessibility, with Young noting the gathering zeroed in on subjects ripe for bipartisan support. Local officials sought more federal assistance, pitching the need for improvements to the city's crime lab, and discussing the pressures on the jail system. “The jail,” Young mentioned, “We know that there's a big need there was conversation around the crime lab and the opportunity for us to be able to analyze some of the evidence that's needed for us to process things quicker,” according to an interview obtained by Local Memphis.

Senator Hagerty's visit precedes the second part of the crime summit, slated for March 28, where Mayor Young will convene with mayors from 21 cities nationwide. The summit aims to explore strategies deployed in other municipalities to combat crime. Young's proactive stance, through the Black Mayors’ Coalition on Crime initiative, suggests a hands-on approach to curbing violence in the streets of Memphis. ABC24 plans to provide coverage of the multi-mayor meeting and its outcomes.