In an attempt to get a grip on crime, the Memphis City Council is set to roll out a proposal for a philanthropic organization tailored after the Atlanta Police Foundation. With recent data showing a dip in major crimes, the city is angling to build upon this momentum, as per Action News 5.
Despite the promise of a more secure community, concerns linger around the Atlanta model. Faced with uproar over a mammoth $90 million training facility, the Atlanta Police Foundation has seen itself embroiled in lawsuits and protests. The organization, as stated by Dave Wilkinson, its President and CEO, is focused on proactive measures for public safety, not police advocacy or benevolence, as detailed by Action News 5. This has drawn both ire and appraisal, marked by a pursuit for transparency evidenced by a lawsuit for withholding public records requests. The formation of this new strategic and philanthropic entity aligns with the desire to actualize immediate changes as stressed by Memphis City Council Chairman JB Smiley, Jr.
However, with the echoes of controversies from Atlanta’s approach, local advocates like pastor and activist Earle Fisher have their reservations. “I really don’t expect anything novel out of this and hope we will do a better job of having stronger conversations about some of the core philosophies of policing,” Fisher said, as quoted by FOX13 Memphis. The Atlanta Police Foundation’s connection to interventions for young offenders and its potential for enduring through political changes has been recognized as a strong point, notwithstanding the civic unrest associated with the infamous “Cop City”.
The impending announcement and further details surrounding the inception of the Memphis Police Foundation are poised to be unveiled in a news conference, coinciding with Mayor Paul Young's budget amendments addressing public safety and the introduction of a city public safety director, as reported by The Daily Memphian. Amidst the administrative shift, Memphis stands at a crossroads of public safety and community trust, weighing the potential benefits of a police foundation against the backdrop of Atlanta's contentious outcomes.
